Macro close-up view of herder red ants protecting and farming aphids for honeydew, a sugar-rich secretion favored by ants as a food source

macro closeup ants herder protecting farming aphids honeydew excrement sugarrich secretion food source micro view aphids protection food aphid farming behavior relationship aphid honeydew sugar secretion symbiotic relationship plant sap species predators coaxing secrete shepherding colony nest biological trophobiosis trophobionts amino acids nutrients protein parasitoids ant colonies mutualism ecological revilement defense dependency antaphid microhabitat foraging cultivation nectar guardianship 4k resolution