Ants and aphids: the partnership that settles in gardens at the end of summerPhoto by Egor Kamelev on Pexels
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Ants and aphids: the partnership that settles in gardens at the end of summer

Meteored Portugal29 August 2026 at 10:04

The ants seen climbing up and down plant stems in gardens are often accused of ruining crops, but in reality they are there because of the aphids. This scene repeats itself in all gardens at this time of year, with rows of ants climbing the stems with great discipline up to the newest shoots, where colonies of green or black aphids are found.

The usual conclusion is that the ants are attacking the plant, but they

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