Wood ants that actively combat plant diseases could be used in organic apple orchards

The small industrious wood ant can do more than just build high nests in spruce forests. A newly published article in the journal Microbial Ecology reveals that ants combat a range of plant diseases, including those affecting apples. At the same time, ants hunt pests like winter moth larvae, which can defoliate apple trees, to feed their larvae. This opens up entirely new perspectives for biological control of plant diseases.