20th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
Symbiosis

I saw some honey dew produced by Oecophylla smaragdina on the branch after licking the bottom of the leafhopper. After careful observation, I found that there were two different kinds of gray butterfly larvae and a group of leafhoppers gathered together. Oecophylla smaragdina needs the excrement of grey butterfly larvae and leafhoppers. Oecophylla smaragdina is like a herder. They can enjoy sweet milk at any time.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 09.2021
Date Uploaded: 11.2022
Photo Location: Xishuangbanna, China
Camera: NIKON Z 7_2
Copyright: © Yuan Minghui