Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Retrospective Theses and Dissertations Dissertations 1927 Ants and their relation to aphids Charles Richardson Jones Iowa State College Follow this and additional works at: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/rtd Part of the Entomology Commons Recommended Citation Jones, Charles Richardson, "Ants and their relation to aphids" (1927). Retrospective Theses and Dissertations. 14778. https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/rtd/14778 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Dissertations at Iowa State University Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Retrospective Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Iowa State University Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. INFORMATION TO USERS This manuscript has been reproduced from the microfilm master. UMI films the text directly from the original or copy submitted. 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IMI* AmS AND THEIR REMIOH TO APHIDS BY CSia2?le£3 R» Jones A Thesis sulDmitted to the Graduate Faculty for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHT Major subject - Entomology Approved Signature was redacted for privacy. In Char eMajor l7ork Signature was redacted for privacy. Head of Ma;^ Department Signature was redacted for privacy. Dean of Graduat^e College Iowa State College 1927 UMl Number: DP14476 UMI UMI Microform DP14476 Copyright 2006 by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest Information and Learning Company 300 North Zeeb Road P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 i 2 - TABLE 0? COHTEKTS Page IMODUCTIOH . 5 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 5 HISTORICAL REVIEW 6 LIFE HISTORY A!® HABITS OF TJIE AI^T . 11 LIFE HISTORY AW HABITS (F THE APHID 12 APHID EmilBS. 14 APHID PROTECTION AI3D DISSSMISATIOK IS ORIGII-J CiP HOHSY-BEW 19 SYMBIOSIS 27 IlITELLIGSNGE OP AIITS 34 AI-JTS, APHXDS AHD PLAIW DISEASES. ............ 57 MIXED A5iTS 42 Records of Definite Aphida on One Host Plant v;ith the Iluinber of Different Ant Attendants 46 Records of tiie Same Ant Attending the Same Aphid on Different Host Plants 48 GENERAL RELATIONSHIP BET'u'EEN AllTS AND APHIDS 50 LIST OF COLORADO ANTS' AND RECORDS OP APHIDS ATTENDED . 54 A LIST OF COLORADO ANTS \7ITH TEE NUMBER OF GSNERA AND SPECIES OF APHIDS THSY ATTElffiED . 131 LIST OF APHIDS ?;ITH AN^T ATTE1©A1^S 136 APHID LIST r.TTH NUMBER OF GEIERA AND SPECIES OF AIJT AT- TENDAJ3TS 172 A LIST OP ANTS ASSOGIATE^'G TOGETHER IN APHID COLONIES. 178 A LIST OP MIXED ANTS WITH GENERA AND SPECIES ASSOCIAT­ ING TOGETHER IN APHID COLONIES 192 SULEvIARY 196 BIBLIOGRAPHY 198 T" a; ss 5 ' i I 1 i i ! f j IIJ2R0I)"CTI0ir I j j 1 j "During the early cpriiif^ of 191S, v;hilc conducting a j I i i clc.££ in life history stud2r oi Insects, it v:::^s founo .the.t a | ! ! j certain aphid (Aphis poae. Hardy.) on the roots of Poa vkis a | ! suitable subjecr. for this early -ijork. Upon searching for and I collecting these aphids it vvas fc?and that they were alnost i invariably associated \irith ants. This interesting; fact caused i ne to looh into tlio literatrure relative to tiiis sxibject and, i i I alt}iou£rh many references ivere found, it alrso^it invariably ; 1 j the c^-tse t]ric-t only a nention of the interrelation •>:::a3 made i i t. I and no definite accounts were found as to tho real interrela- 5 I It tionship of ants and aphids. I.'any conflicting: statenonts |• i I i j ' vjere found and SoaoeLsen^s that seened absurd. It v;as there- i iI fore Gccided to study these tHo insects in spare tine, to de- jI I • • i I terrinc some of ul:ie real facts concernir^ tlieir symbiotic | I ! 1 relation* I 1 Statements v?ere fo-jnd to the effect that ";;hen a species j j of ants attends a colony of aphids the :..nts impart an odor to the aphids arid no other species of ;.nts 'i?ill nolest that i . j partleuiar aphiC colony; that the urits actually induce the j aphids to discharge tiie honey-dew and great stress vras laid i on the intelli^^ence- displayed by the ant in their actions ! j I I towards aphids; tlr-t a certain species of aphid on one kind | j \ i of Dlant «oulc be attended by a definite ant ^^artiai to that I i " ' ~ i I plant, and tl"£-.t when the san-^e aphid v»as found on another host \ \ i I ! i ! i —4- plant it was Invi^riably attended by anotiicr species of ant. Since Colorado oor.tains both Boreal t-nr Austriil sones, it vJi-s deerried advisable to r:iz.ke lz.rge and niLnei-ons cailections of iints and apiiiCs in order to wca?!: up t-ho £.nt fa-ont. of i 5 I I Golora-.o x;iiich lias only been partially studied and collected \ I tiirouejio-ut the state, the .iphididae having been i^reviotisly I very diligently studied by Dr. C. G-illette arid his col- 1 I lea^^os. I I The information contaiiied in the follouanf: "tiar^es is based I ( i Upon the st-Jdy of c:iits that v.Gvo actually noted attei.dln,^ I j aphiC s in their nctiu'al Kild szate, Observcitions v;ere aade j wherever t^uats and aphics •were found aEaociatin^ zogether. i '"uch tim 3 ilcf S <-»X £0 S')0^t consultinp; ej-tonolor-ical liter- i aturo for inforr:ation bearing on this subject, and bringing; j I •j togeth^er the nuraero'us isolated and scattered observations i :I vjhiah have been publisiied on tlie interrelation of these -aide- I ly setjarated insects. In njt3i;ing this stufiy of aphid end ant association upvjards of 2,Q00 separate coliections v.'ere studied, not all of v/hich vievQ of my personal eollactiiig, I wish therefore to esipress ny apx^reolation to ny collaborators to ^7hoa I an indebted for services rendered in various uays. I 'wish especially to iic- lcnov7ledf:e ay indebtedness to Dr. C. ?. Gillette, Director Colorado Sxperinont Station; lass I". A, palmer. Delineator -5- Colorado iDxporinent ytation» ibr assistance in detarriination of uphids 2j:d vCilisa'bie si^-gcstions, and proof receding; Sr. !'• H. Smith, College Station, I'iss., and I-i'of. A, Z. Beardsley, Grealey, Colos'cido, for assisti^nce in --r.t dotsrr:-in- u.tion; Dr. Cc.rl j, Drake, izr^tonoloidst, lov.'a sti:.te College, and Dr. 71, II. Jellliouse, • and Dr. H. H. ixight, Iowa State College, for val-aabie sugeJ-stloiis and other assistai^co; :','G5£rs. John 1. Hoerner, Sara I'cCanipbcll, i.nd my v^ife, Ilrs. Lena K, Jones, fcr assist^aj^ce in proof reading. -o~ HIS20HIGAL -UVISil The ant has attracted atterition fron tine inaemorial, arid has held the admiration of observers o? iia.t-'^e fron the earliest history-. Its nntirijog exertions for the T;velfare of tiis eomnronity, its apparent devotion to anC care for its • arf. its methods of obtainingj collecting, and storing food aatsrials have led to its being regarded as an insect of intelligence and of distL^ctive foresight. The great Greek riatiiralist, Aristotle, esitolled the sa.racity of these ^"bloodless aniraals'', Ovid says, "2hc ant does not bend his t;eary v.'aj:- to enpty barns"» Solcnon* wrote about thera thousands of years ago. Shahespeare put into the mouth of his Aeligl-tful fool in KiiJc Lear the words, -'no'11 set thee to school to the ant, to r.each tUee tiiere's no labouring i' the xvinter.'* Cicero without iiaving read the scriptures ascribed to then not only se2;satiori., but rsind, rea­ son, ar^ r.Qnory, Hecent publications also contain nuch about ants. I7e need not believe all the fables about lir.ts, 3rror ultimately contributes to a more perfect iaiof.'led,~o, and despite the pub­ lications of the well autliorized facts discovered by carefiO. observers, rnany of the old errors are still repeated by re­ spectable and authentic authors. -^'lAr o\% titk: l^he int'3rreia.tion of ants :a-:d aphids is a sxib^ect that | ] t iit^s clG-irsed tl^e attention of the nost erairiont naturalists | for a^es. Althoiigii nrach iias been tTritten on this s'^b^ect, a i I great dei-1 has bcjen ta'ien for grii-rtcd , copied ard ha::dO(l down | ; fro:n tide z±v:q regardless of tiric fact that trve statements ; i i have "been erroneous, i^long v/itii scientific adt-:irices, iie»« j i i facts have been discovered tiirougii observation.