A n 8-year-old’s casual backyard observation has transformed our understanding of an intricate relationship between ants, wasps, and oak trees.What appeared to be ants carrying seeds turned out ...

Whereas elaiosomes are an adaptation of plants to attract ants, kapéllos are an extension of the wasps’ manipulation of oak trees, effectively co-opting ant behavior to benefit their larvae.

A centuries-old oak tree on the edge of Boston College’s Brighton Campus ... In the years since, Bellavia noticed carpenter ants alongside the back of the tree, where the bark had long since fallen ...