• Rose Thorne(She/Her)
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      362 years ago

      They do! Well, at least certain species do. They groom the aphids to harvest a sweet excretion.

      It’s a really neat relationship.

      • pjhenry1216
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        292 years ago

        I mean, it’s not just any excretion. It’s a byproduct of sorts of the aphids digestive system.

        From wikipedia on “Honeydew (secretion)”:

        When their mouthpart penetrates the phloem, the sugary, high-pressure liquid is forced out of the anus of the aphid.

        • Electric
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          2 years ago

          mouthpart penetrates the phloem

          liquid is forced out of the anus

          Sweet Jesus.

          • pjhenry1216
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            182 years ago

            Sweet Jesus.

            Yes, apparently it does taste very sweet.

            I’ll see myself out.

        • Rose Thorne(She/Her)
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          62 years ago

          Well, there’s at least video of ants getting the honeydew, so I guess if one’s kinky enough, it’s porn for ants.

          • kamenLady.
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            32 years ago

            Ant porn for humans with that extra kink™

    • @SuddenDownpour
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      212 years ago

      Ants can be brutal. Some species of ants steal the eggs of different colonies to force them to work for their own colony. Sometimes, the kidnapped ants rebel and lay waste to the interior of the colony that kidnapped them if they think they can overpower them.

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slave-making_ant