ants, aphids, beans, maize ( alphabetized but not appearing in that order )

there are a score of maize plants in the back yards spread out here and there...

there are silks and ears emerging on most...all are heirloom flints so we will see if the squirrels find them edible or if they are allowed to mature...

some may have emergent ears...all have their colony of aphids being tended by ant herders...the upper stems and flowers are covered with them..which seem to do no harm tot he plants...a minimal amount of vital fluids and the attendant sugars being siphoned off seemingly...they are not killing the hosts...

it's difficult to tell, however there are teosinte plants in that mass of green...

they have silks and ears on the move ...

as well as ears with maturing seeds...which pleases me more than ears of maize ever could...

like their domesticated descendant they all have their respective aphid herds...more sugary vital fluids being extracted...and again no apparent harm to the hosts...insect intelligence at work...

i planted beans around some bamboo poles and in among the maize and teosinte a few weeks after those were planted...

and they have finally begun to bloom...hopefully there will be beans soon...that would be gratifying...the spuds should start to come in soon and the jerusalem artichokes will be ready next month...a lunch or two straight from the back yard.