Guard Ants

[Crabbergirl]

I have seen this every year , but thought I would share with you. This only happens on my yard long beans and it happens every year.
These ants are actually guarding the flowers and the beans from pest. I have not once sprayed for any type pest on these beans. These ants in groups of 1 - 3 gather at the flower of each stem. The protect the flower from pest then as the bean grows the patrol the entire bean from tip to tip keeping pest away. They have not damaged any of the plant. I just shake the bean before picking and the ants fall away. They do pinch if they stay on you for any time but they don't have a bite. They look in size and color like caprenter ants but they are not. Anyone know for sure what they are called?

 

[RonsGarden]

Hey Nancie!
They maybe protecting and harvesting a sweet secretion that plants are producing around the flowers and beans! Have a closer look ad see what they are doing! They are also, as you mention, protecting the plants!

We have small ants that guard and protect aphids from predator insects!
I have a Korean Mountain Ash that the ants have taken over, and moved aphids to it!
They guard and protect them so they can milk them for the sweet secretions that the aphids produce! It is a perfect symbiotic relationship!

 

[Crabbergirl]

I have heard about the ants and the aphids, and at first I thought that's what was going on, but they just seem to be either sitting there or running up and down the beans. What ever they are doing it is awesome because I don't have to do anything !
I will spend a little more time watching them, they could be getting the nectar from the buds.

 

[Jules]

I have ants on my green pepper plants....must watch to see if they are actually eating the plant or patrolling like yours are CG.

 

[Crabbergirl]

Let me know Jules. I am finding they are very protective of MY beans. LOL! I had one stand up on his back legs like he was going to attack. I just shook the bean and he went on his way. off to patrol a new bean.

 

[Jules]

HA HA - too funny CG. I am watching closely now on my peppers as there are little aphids and they may be after them and not the actual peppers. Hard to figure out this Nature stuff!!!

 

[Crabbergirl]

No doubt! I learn something new all the time.
I don't have "pest control service" at home but at my offie we are required to by our landlord. My service man was in and I thought to ask him about the ants. He called them "Tree Ants" and gave a close explaination to Ron's. They wait for a wound and then get the sap, but when asked why they were only on the beans, he couldn't say. So yes , Nature is fickle at best

 

[Jules]

Been keeping a close eye on the ants and they seem to be doing just as you preidcted CG. They cruise back and forth.....and they aphids that were on a flower - GONE!!!

 

[RonsGarden]

Jules
Like yours mine move the aphids around from plant to plant, and harvest the dew the aphids secrete as a reward for the ants protection!
The ants actually stimulate the aphids to produce the dew!
Ants love my Korean Ash seedlings and they move them around....I was going to kill the aphids but decided to leave them for the ants since they do not do very much harm to the seedlings!

Nancie
Tree ants!
Must be a sub-tropical species!
They are on the beans for a reason, or they wouldn't be there.
Do you have a magnifying glass so you can have a closer look?

 

[Jules]

Great idea to get a magnifying glass ROn. I hope they are not harming the peppers. I planted some in my window box this year and am anxious to get at least one to eat!

 

[RonsGarden]

Needn't worry Jules!
The ants will protect your plants from other insect pests!

 

[Jules]

GOd love the little creatures...and here I thought they were going to destroy my peppers!

 

[Crabbergirl]

I can get a good look through the lens and they are not moving their mouth parts, they just seem to be sitting unless they are on the move running up and down the bean very fast. I should see if I can get a video. Tim's camera may capture them on the move. They are not on any other plants. I have the same plant in the shade and no ants. The one in the sun has at least 3 ants per bean. They seem to be real happy. Me too, no bugs!

 

[RonsGarden]

Nancie
Did you find their nest?
Hmm?
Yard Long Beans! Ants!
I remember reading up on them a few years ago and just had to go and do a search to confirm:

Ants were present on the vines and flowers. They did not appear to be causing any damage, but were merely visiting the extrafloral nectaries present on the flowers.

from: http://www.mastergardeners.org/projects/ninepalms/2007/longbeans.html
So decided to do another search and found this photo on Flicker:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/47064292@N03/4892603008/
To continue and round out this search I found these posts on Dave'sGarden:
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/119372/#b Scroll down to read the comments of gardeners growing Yard Long Beans!

 

[Crabbergirl]

Wow Ron, Great site and info on the test beans.Thanks for sharing. I am not sure what variety I have, as I have seed saved for years and lost track of that. I had no idea there were so many types. I am going to look for others to add to the garden.I like the colored beans like purples and reds. Just makes the garden fun. I can't say enough about production. It's awesome. Over the top.
No, I have not located a nest. I suspect I will when I cultivate for fall. Although, the plants are so healthy and productive I won't remove them for sometime, maybe well in to late fall. Usual;ly my beans last until our first freeze.

 

[RonsGarden]

Cool arn't they!
Went out to check on the worm, it was gone off somewhere to let the wasp larvae do their thing in private!

 

[kateoo]

Sprinkling boric acid ,cinnamon, vinegar around the plants might help to stay ants away from the plant.