Ecological association of diversity of cow bugs-ants and aphids-ants species in pigeonpea and safflower ecosystems

In pigeonpea, three cow bug species were recorded namely, Oxyrhachis apicalis (Anantasubramanian), Leptocentrus sp. and Otinotus sp. of which, Otinotus sp. was the most dominant species (relative abundance=76. 48 %). All cow bugs were actively tended by one species of ant, Camponotus compressus Fab. In safflower, two aphid species were recorded viz ., Urolecon compositae (Theobald) and Aphis sp. U. compositae was the most dominant species (relative abundance= 93.98 %), Aphis sp. was found in only tiny patches of field feeding only on leaves. Three ants species found collecting honeydew from aphids by indirect method of tending (i.e. by collecting honeydew fell on plant parts) viz ., C. compressus Tapinoma melanocephalum Fab. and Polyrachis sp. The different species of cow bug and their associated ants on other host plants viz., Leptocentrus sp. on brinjal and almond, Oxyrhachis sp. on acacia, Otinotus sp. on parthenium and were attended by the ant, C. compressus . On black nightshade plant (S olanum nigrum L.), the cow bug, Leptocentrus sp. was found to be tended by the Hunchbacked ant, Myrmica riabrunnea Saunders. The aphids, Pentalonia nigronervosa Coquerel on banana, Aphis croccivora Koch on pigeonpea and Aphis punicae Passarini on pomegranate were tended by the ant, C. compressus Aphis spiraecola Patch on Siam weed and Hysteroneura setariae Thomas on deer tongue grass were tended by Componotus sp. In finger millet, the aphid, H. setariae Thomas was tended by T. melanocephalum Fab. Aphis croccivora on cowpea, A. spiraecola on Parthenium and Aphis gossipii Glover on chilly were tended by Myrmica riabrunnea Saunders.