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Stick insect eggs often mimic plant seeds. These Diapheromera eggs are dispersed by ants. Illinois, USA
Formica obscuripes ant examining eggs of the Northern Walking Stick Diapheromera femorata. Ants find the seed-like eggs attractive and may carry them to protected overwintering sites. Wisconsin, USA
Some plants have come to rely so heavily on ants to spread their seeds about that they offer the insects a tasty treat in exchange for the dispersal service. Seeds of these species bear a lipid-filled structure called an elaiosome, whose sole function appears to be the attraction of ants. Here, Aphaenogaster fulva disperse bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) seeds. Urbana, Illinois, USA
Meranoplus unicolor. An Australian harvester ant carries a seed back to her nest. Cape York Peninsula, Queensland, Australia
Meranoplus unicolor. An Australian harvester ant carries a seed back to her nest. Cape York Peninsula, Queensland, Australia
A number of plant species have come to depend on ants to disperse their seeds. To entice the ants, the seeds have a tasty, lipid-rich structure called an elaiosome at one end, and the ants carry the seed along when then take the elaiosome back to their nest. Here, a Formica exsectoides mound ant has found the seeds of leafy spurge, an invasive pest plant whose spread might be facilitated by ants. Wisconsin, USA
A number of plant species have come to depend on ants to disperse their seeds. To entice the ants, the seeds have a tasty, lipid-rich structure called an elaiosome at one end, and the ants carry the seed along when then take the elaiosome back to their nest. Here, Formica exsectoides mound ants have found the seeds of leafy spurge, an invasive pest plant whose spread might be facilitated by the ants. Wisconsin, USA
Some plants have come to rely so heavily on ants to spread their seeds about that they offer the insects a tasty treat in exchange for the dispersal service. Seeds of these species bear a lipid-filled structure called an elaiosome, whose sole function appears to be the attraction of ants. Here, Aphaenogaster fulva disperse bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) seeds. Urbana, Illinois, USA
Some plants have come to rely so heavily on ants to spread their seeds about that they offer the insects a tasty treat in exchange for the dispersal service. Seeds of these species bear a lipid-filled structure called an elaiosome, whose sole function appears to be the attraction of ants. Here, Aphaenogaster fulva disperse bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) seeds. Urbana, Illinois, USA
Stick insect eggs often mimic plant seeds. These Diapheromera eggs are dispersed by ants.

Illinois, USA
Stick insect eggs often mimic plant seeds. These Diapheromera eggs are dispersed by ants. Illinois, USA
Stick insect eggs often mimic plant seeds. These Diapheromera eggs are dispersed by ants.

Illinois, USA
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all images and text © Alex Wild 2001-2013