HORN BUGS AND ANTS: THEY ARE ALL FEEDING ON THE EGGPLANT !

(Horn bug - gold color body with black horns, Length Approx. 4 mm)

April 27, 2022

Updated on: May 01, 2022

During the days I was first experimenting with growing eggplants, I spotted a strangely shaped small bug on a stem of an eggplant. I had never seen this bug before. This bug has a few pointed structures on its head. There are two curved horn-like projections on its head. The third horn-like structure is long, curved downward, and extends towards the back end of the bug.

The structures may act as camouflage. That is the bug may use its strange shape to hide from predators.

It was not eating the leaves. What's it doing on the stem? It might feed by sucking the sap of the eggplant.

Three weeks later, I saw one ant was with the bug. Another ant was coming closer to the bug. Why were the ants attracted to the bug? The horn bug feeding might have resulted in something—a substance which was passed from their bodies; the ants were attracted to? The ants might feed on the excretion of this bug.

If the ants had enough food they should leave! The ants were interacting with the bug. Why? They did not do any harm to the horn bug.  The ants use their front legs as if to ask for something. "Give us more food !".

It was not the only horn bug on the eggplant there were two more horn bugs.

So, they had not come for rest on the stem. They feed on the plant. However, the damage caused by feeding on the plant was not readily visible.

These bugs, if present in large numbers, may reduce the level of nutrients that the host plant needs for healthy growth. Nutrients level may drop even further with increased bug-ant interaction.

The images were captured as it was found happening in nature, and not enhanced using software. Images may be subject to copyright.