A peeled section of bark reveals a scale insect and its waxy extrusion. Oxley Creek, QLD.
Scale insect buried in the bark of a tree extrudes a wax straw to get honeydew out to ants. Many different species of ants benefit from the excretions of sap sucking bugs. Oxley Creek, QLD.
Rattle ant collects honeydew from the end of a straw-like wax extrusion produced by a bug hidden in the bark. Without the drinking straw the honeydew would simply soak into the bark. Oxley Creek, QLD.