Trying to relish on the sweet fruit of toiling

[Prajwal J Ullal]

ID: ID Help appreciated

Stumbled upon these huge insects on the Cassia Siamea/kashid tree. They seemed to be surrounded by ants, not sure if being protected by them or being tormented, but these mighty insects seemed to be very still and the ants seemed a tad too busy transporting somethings. On close observation I realized that the ants were waiting for the secretion of some liquid from the hind side of the insects and once secreted out, these ants would collect them and head out, probably towards their nest, This frame shows the moment three of the ants struggling to get hold of the secretion.

EXIF:
Canon 550D
Canon 100mm macro
f/16
Shutterspeed 1/125
ISO 1600
Handheld, external flash fired

Location: Kasarwadavli, Thane

[Mrudul Godbole]

Interesting. Nice observation. The secretion looks kind of roundish(?). Looks like some kind of larvae :confused:? Thanks for sharing.

[Abhishek Jamalabad]

The ants look like Tapinoma sp. The big insects are probably scale insects? Tapinoma ants very commonly "milk" other insects for their sweetish secretions. It's like rearing cattle.

[Sabyasachi Patra]

Nice find. The left side of the branch has sloped away from you so it is not in the plane of focus. Is it cropped?

[Prajwal J Ullal]

Yeah, had to crop by upto 40%