國立自然科學博物館

介殼蟲會分泌蜜露供螞蟻吸食，螞蟻為了保障食物來源，會幫忙驅離瓢蟲、寄生蜂等介殼蟲的天敵。其實蜜露是介殼蟲的排泄物，大部分物質是糖類，因此帶有甜味。照片中的介殼蟲，尾部先伸出形狀像一朵花的組織，再分泌蜜露於該組織上面，方便讓熱帶大頭家蟻吸食。待螞蟻吸食完畢，該組織就又縮回體內。

Scale insects exude honeydew for ants to eat. In turn, ants chase away their natural enemies such as ladybugs and parasitic wasps. Honeydew is scale insect excrement that is comprised of sugars. Therefore, it tastes sweet. A flower-shaped structure emerges from the posterior end of the scale insect from which it secretes honeydew to facilitate the feeding of Pheidole megacephala (big-headed ants). After the ants have finished feeding, this structure is retracted.

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