136 FARM SPIES 



are so much interested because they enjoy eating 

 the sweet liquid or honey-dew made by the aphids. 

 The ant does not require this honey-dew because it 

 has been shown that she can live without it, but the 

 ant loves it just as a boy loves ice-cream or the mos- 

 quito loves blood. The ant is willing to put itself to 

 a great deal of trouble attending the aphids in order 

 to get the honey-dew." 



Joe asked, "You say that the aphids are carried 

 there by ants, and when the plant upon which they 

 feed fails they carry the aphids to other and healthier 

 plants, all for the honey-dew? " 



"That is correct," he replied. 



" Now, then," Joe continued, " this goes on through- 

 out the summer and fall when it is warm and there 

 are growing plants on the field, but what happens 

 when winter comes, when the plants all die and the 

 ground becomes chilled?" 



"It does appear as if this might be a serious matter, 

 especially to those who have not studied the ways of 

 ants," the entomologist replied, "but the ants have 

 more foresight than most people are willing to give 

 them credit for. The ants realize that the aphids 

 are the machinery for making honey-dew, and for 

 this reason must be protected. When the food- 

 plants die in the fall the ants invite the aphids to 

 their warm burrows of their own underground homes. 

 The aphids never seem to hesitate in accepting this 



