Ants clustered on buddleia bud

[jpscloud]

I found a group of ants clustered on a buddleia bud today - without my glasses on I saw a black mass where the flower bud would be emerging, and gave it a gentle poke. The mass of ants broke up immediately and they scampered off. I saw one revisiting the bud tip again later, which is brown and looks damaged. Anyone know what they're up to?

[Kayleigh]

Hi and welcome,
did you see any aphids on the bud as the ants farm them for the honeydew the aphids produce.

Are you sure they were not tiny spiders as garden spiders cluster like this then disperse then get back together again if disturbed.

[jpscloud]

Hi Kayleigh, thanks for the reply.... yes they were definitely ants, and my first thought was aphid farming too, as they do that on my cardoons, but no sign of any aphids at all. One or two ants are still patrolling up and down the stem, but even with my glasses on I can't see any other creatures there at all!

[Paul mabbott]

Ants 'farm' aphids for their honeydew - perhaps the plant tip is damaged and sap is leaking out - the ants are just cutting out the middle-man! In recent weeks it may be water as much as food that they're after. On the other hand the ants could just be randomly climbing up every branch to see what's at the end - aphids and other insects will lay their eggs in the growing tip. Interesting to watch!

[jpscloud]

Ah yes hadn't thought of the drought really - I bet that's it, they're possibly making use of some other insect damage to the tip. There definitely aren't aphids around there yet (I put my glasses on!)