THE LITLLE WORLD OF the Ant and the Treehopper

Stories

Discovering Insane Mutualism between Ants and Treehoppers (Membracidae)

When you think of the Amazon Rainforest – what do you think of? Usually, the rainforest comes to us in images of color, biodiversity, and an exoticness that echoes in our imaginations.  We often think of fauna or birds – colorful macaws and mysterious jaguars. 

But when one steps off the boat or plane, one might be surprised to find that the Amazonian ambassador is not the regal jaguar, but rather the treehopper. The little creepy crawlies that dress to impress and though they may be little, a finer representative of biodiversity is not to be found.

To many, the treehoppers’ entire appeal rests on their pronotal ornament (a plate-like modified structure covering the dorsal surface of the thorax). These appendages are bizarre, and their function is still being debated amongst biologists. However, what is known, is that some species use it as a form of physical protection (cage-like pronotum), others as a form of mimicry (ant/wasp-like), and still others as camouflage (thorns, spines, trichomes-like).

Ant farming

Ant farming By Paul Bertner

 

To stop and watch the rich lives of the treehoppers unfold is one of the many pleasures the rainforest has to offer and the more one looks, the greater the complexity of this small world – they engage in animal husbandry (ant farms), economies of scale (treehoppers and they’re young form large groups catered to by ants), commodity market dynamics (exchange of nutrients for protection) – in a word, mutualism.

While some species of treehopper remain solitary, many have formed a special relationship with a bodyguard that serves and protects their interests and is paid in a kind of gold – honeydew. Understanding where this gold-honeydew comes from and its importance is key to understanding the mutualism that has evolved.

Ant Farming by Paul Bertner

Ant farming By Paul Bertner

 

 An ant gently palpates and crawls over a treehopper providing the stimulus for physical feedback which stimulates the release of honeydew. 

The story begins at the bottom of the food chain, where we find the real workhorses of any ecosystem: the plants. The lifeblood of the plant – sap – holds all the nutrients and sugars necessary for survival and growth. It represents a bounty for those daring and evolutionarily ambitious enough to take advantage of it. But this is no easy task because the leaves and stems are often armed with mechanical (spines or trichomes) as well as chemical defenses (tannins, agglutinating proteins, etc. …). So, like the safe-cracker, the treehopper uses specialized tools for the job. (Mutualism between Ants and Treehoppers)

 

It probes the surface of the plant before using its needle-like modified mouth, the proboscis, to break in and steal sugars. However, the sap is under pressure, and thus puncturing the phloem (which is responsible for nutrient transport) results in an uncontrolled, high-pressure stream.  In order to deal with this, the insects must discharge huge volumes of the sap so that they don’t explode. Thus, they filter out the nutrients they need and extrude the rest in the form of a sugary exudate – honeydew, which can either be flicked off or else consumed more directly by attendant insects. And no organism is better poised to take advantage of this supply than the super-organism, the ant. 

Ant colony by Paul Bertner

Ant larvae  by Paul Bertner  

Mutualism between Ants and Treehoppers…

Over time, a mutually beneficial relationship has evolved, whereby ants, possessing defensive bites and stings, protect the treehoppers which have taken on the biological equivalent of living spigots. The ants will palpate them, move them from one place to another to maximize their productivity, protect them from parasitization and predators, and all to ensure a continuous supply of their precious resource – honeydew. 

So, next time you’re in the Amazon, stop a moment, lean in, and smell the flowers. And you just might see that it’s not the jungle rose where sweetest lies, but rather the inconspicuous treehopper, the thorn that’s not a thorn, whose sweetness lies.

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By Paul Bertner

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The lodge is located in the middle of the forest accessible only by boat. The experience was very unique and exciting. Service is great, and the fun part are the nature activities and tours the hotel offers for free. We had an amazing tour guide that had a lot of knowledge and was fun to spend time with. The rooms are totally open to the forest which is really cool the struggle is the there is no privacy at all in between the rooms, also food was pretty basic. All together a very unique experience. Read all

This hotel is the perfect blend of comfort and hospitality, with the natural experience. The hotel is reached by a hours boat ride from Puerto Maldonado, expertly organized and accomplished. Most staff are members of the local Esa Ejja community. The food is good and plentiful. Hot water is always available and lovely bedding features mosquito nets. There is of course no air conditioning (one side wall is open in rach room) and the electricity is off for a few hours at night affecting overhead fans, so I was glad to have brought a small battery powered fan for sleeping. But the best of the experience is the wildlife. Our expert guide Oscar Mishaja introduced us to nearly 100 bird species, along with caimans, river otters, poison dart frogs and capybara. A trip of a lifetime. Read all

Excellent experience overall— really kind and welcoming staff at every point of the journey. All transfers were well organized and smooth. Excellent and educational excursions all around the rainforest. Delicious food for every meal. We had wonderful guides- Freet and Alvaro. Enjoyed our time here! Read all

Unbelievable.... Magical Everything I have dreamed of since I was 8 years old but MORE Read all

We had a surreal experience at Refugio Amazonas. From the well organized transportation to the warm welcome, hospitality and the experience of living in nature - we loved it all. Huge shout out to our guide Boris who went out of his way to ensure we had a good experience and got to watch all kinds of wild life. The meals and cocktails were delicious. And even though this place is smack in the middle of the jungle there was super fast WiFi available. We made unforgettable memories. Read all

We had an amazing time in TRC. From the guide, tours, lounge staff, food and room, everything has exceeded our expectation and like an amazing dream came true. We highly recommend to directly book with the lounge website, so that you got a private guide for your group. Special thanks to our guide Saul, who made this experience extra special! We were so impressed by his knowledge about all the animals and the rainforest. Read all

We had an amazing time in TRC. From the guide, tours, lounge staff, food and room, everything has exceeded our expectation and like an amazing dream came true. This is the only lounge available in Tambopata national park, and this eco lounge takes environment seriously. We highly recommend to directly book with the lounge website, so that you got a private guide for your group. Special thanks to our guide Saul, who made this experience extra special! We were so impressed by his knowledge about all the animals and the rainforest. If you are a natural lover, you can’t miss this place Read all

Excellent and luxurious place, wonderful experience and our guide Boris was first class, he had a unique patience with my 8 year old son. An experience in the tropical rainforest that marks the life of its visitors. In addition to the scientific research that takes place in the place: a whole research center. Rooms: Very comfortable and luxuriou Read all

El mejor hotel para visitar la Amazonia peruana. Hotel eco turístico metido en medio de la selva, equipado para visitar y vivir la selva, su flora y fauna, en todas sus facetas. Todo incluido, con guías preparados y amables, resultó una experiencia increíble para mi familia. Dentro de las opciones no se debe perder el Canopy de 45 metros de altura para observar y escuchar la selva, así como el lago de las tres Chimbadas, lugar único para ver caimanes, nutrias gigantes, monos y aves exóticas. Recomiendo mínimo dos noches!!! Read all

Wunderbare lodge mit freundlichen Menschen. sehr persönliche guides, tolle Tourangebote und super kulinarische Verpflegung ! Wir wurden herzlichst von Caesar empfangen und unser guide JuanJo hat uns phantastische Dinge gezeigt. Wir können die lodge nur wärmstens empfehlen! Read all

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