The story here is not only about unknown Homoptera but also about interesting behaviors which not fully clear
Location: Israel, coastal sands Habitat: mix of dunes and stabilized sands Host: Tamarisk tree Participants: Ants (Tapinoma sp) and unknown Homoptera nymphs need ID)
Tapinoma sp ants known as honeydew feeders I found them shepherd many kind of Homoptera that produce honeydew The next photo show a typical shepherd behavior on unknown nymph of Homoptera Until know I find only nymphs but no adults Immagine: 199,57 KB
The present of the camera lens so close to the ants press them and one ant take one nymph in the mandibles and move with the nymph to other location. I do not familiar with this behavior in Tapinoma ants but this behavior known from other ants spices. So until now its look normal story. Immagine: 147,96 KB
The story become strange when i found (not far from the Tamarisk location) Tapinoma ants crowd on unlucky caterpillar (also normal behavior). The surprise was to find the above unknown Homoptera nymph (one specimen) with the ants on the caterpillar (as seen in the next photo) Immagine: 235,56 KB
So we seen ants move nymph from location to location and this look normal as long as its done on the host plants.
The question is: Is Tapinoma ants take/escort nymphs from much greater distance (dozens meters or more)? To make the issue more complicate I also found some nymph (same as found on the Tamarisk) walk on the sand, alone,exposed near other shrubs. So maybe the ant just found wander nymph and "adopt" here as this is important property? Immagine: 176,01 KB
I think the key to understand this issue is to ID the Homoptera nymph any idea welcome
Daer Amir, your documentation is really good, as usual ! And, as usual, your questions require time and meditation. Caro Amir, la tua documentazione è veramente buona, come al solito ! E, come al solito, le tue domande richiedono tempo e riflessione.
Messaggio originario di Amir: Participants: Ants (Tapinoma sp) and unknown Homoptera nymphs need ID)
In my opinion, they are Psyllids. Secondo me sono delle Psille.
The present of the camera lens so close to the ants press them and one ant take one nymph in the mandibles and move with the nymph to other location. ... The story become strange when i found (not far from the Tamarisk location) Tapinoma ants crowd on unlucky caterpillar (also normal behavior). The surprise was to find the above unknown Homoptera nymph (one specimen) with the ants on the caterpillar (as seen in the next photo) Immagine:
An ant has certainly changed work ! So the poor psyllid was dropped on caterpillar. Sicuramente una formica ha cambiato lavoro ! Così la povera psilla è stata abbandonata sul bruco.
The question is: Is Tapinoma ants take/escort nymphs from much greater distance (dozens meters or more)?
Yes, of course! Sì, naturalmente!
To make the issue more complicate I also found some nymph (same as found on the Tamarisk) walk on the sand, alone,exposed near other shrubs. So maybe the ant just found wander nymph and "adopt" here as this is important property?
The nymphs could walk on the sand just after an accidental fall ... Le ninfe potrebbero camminare sulla sabbia dopo una caduta accidentale ...