Symbiosis
As you scroll through these photos, what do you notice? What questions do you have about what you see and what conclusions can you draw?
Mealybugs and ants have a symbiotic relationship. In this type of symbiosis, two different species obtain a mutual benefit from their relationship. Mealybugs are soft-bodied insects that infest plants, suck sap, and produce honeydew. Ants collect and eat the honeydew and in return, care and protect the mealybugs from predators. Vintners have learned that reducing the ant population in their vineyards will help control a mealybug infestation.
Go here to watch a Study Jam about symbiosis.
Go here to watch full screen.
What are other examples of symbiosis? Studying symbiotic relationships is a fun adjunct to any study of living things. Identify the symbiotic relationship in this post about Spanish moss. Go here.