Honeydew...

..Is a sticky substance produced by scale insects.
It is, apparently, gathered up by ants (and wasps).
I assume this is what is occuring in the above image.
('What's occurin'?'...)

It's all well and good the textbooks (ok, t'internet) telling us that this honeydew
(honeydew??) is gathered up. 'Gathered up??'

In what???

Buckets?
Pipettes?
(Now there's a word you can't say without also thinking 'Bunson burner').

What the trusty interweb does not (easily) regurgitate, is what do the ants WANT with this sticky stash anyway?
Do they bottle it to sell at car boot sales?
('Roll up, roll up, git ya honeydew here'...)
Do they sell it to fruiterers to inject into melons?
(Fruiterers?? Did I just channel Charles Dickens for a moment?)
Do they use it as glue for model-making?
Do they barter with it? (For shoes)
Do they make wine?
Or e) or f) ??
(I expect hope it's something to do with wine).

Anyway... Today was the day I was hoping to do much catching-up.
Sadly, the catching up has only been on the laundry and household front.
But hey!
It's all to the good.
Almost back to full throttle blipping :-)