Insects also have their duos. Ants and aphids are often found together. Both gardeners and homeowners know that either of these insects can sometimes be pests, but when they show up together it can only mean double trouble. Aphids, sometimes called plant lice or greenbugs, and ants have a special relationship where they help each other. Aphids provide a food resource for the ants and ants provide protection for the aphids.
Ants feed on the honeydew produced by aphids.
Aphids feed on the sap of plants, filtering out the nutrition they need and eliminating the rest. This sticky liquid, known as honeydew, includes a high concentration of sugar and is highly prized by ants. It is the sticky honeydew that sometimes gums up cars parked under aphid-infested trees. The sugary honeydew also provides an excellent place for fungi to grow. Sooty mold growing on aphid honeydew often turns aphid-infested plants black.