Sugar feeding of the common black ant, Lasius niger (L.), as a possible indirect method for reducing aphid populations on apple by disturbing ant-aphid mutualism

► Common black ants (Lasius niger) tend and protect the apple pest aphids Dysaphis plantaginea and Aphis pomi. ► Ant exclusion with sticky barrier or supplementary honey feeding significantly reduces ant attendance. ► Reduced ant attendance results in higher activity of aphidophagous predators and lower aphid infestation on apple trees.