Each year at the end of the growing season, I cut the corn stalks down to about 12 inches or so. I leave them in the raised bed to decompose over the winter and turn them into the soil in the spring. I did this again this year, but while out working in the rest of the garden, I noticed a yellow jacket wasp on top on one of the nearly dry cut stalks. And then I noticed an ant climbing up another one of the stalks. But, two things seemed odd. The first was that the wasp is the kind that seeks sugar and sweet nectar, and the ant was a sugar-seeking variety that I often find in the hummingbird feeder. But, The observations seemed strange, as I believed that the only sugar produced in corn occurred in the ears, as they ripened and converted starches to sugar. But, the insects were telling me something different. They must have found something sweet in the dying stalks and I wanted to know more. I cut one of the stalks closer to the still-green and watched for activity. Within 30 minutes, the ant was dining on the fresh wet stalk. I took the following photos including the raised bed:
These observations led me to do some research and in fact, did find that corn stalks not only provide the transport system for water and nutrients, but produce sugar as well. And, as the stalk ages, the sugar content goes up. The stalks are also a source of high fructose corn syrup that has been so controversial. The following quote is from a book called Indian Corn from the 1930 time period:
"The Use Of Stalks Syrup. – Most of the different plants of the grass family have hollow stems, but there are three notable exceptions: sorghum, sugar cane, and corn. All three contain cane sugar. The Aztecs in Mexico made use of the corn plant for sugar, in the same manner as sugar cane is now used.
In a Minnesota experiments five varieties of sweet com and two of field com were used. When the com is ripe enough to can, the juice of the stalks contains 9-11 per cent cane sugar. If the stalks stand in the field twenty days after the removal of the ears, the amount of sugar in the stalk increases to 13-17 per cent. The proper stage for syrup-making is during the time of maximum amount of sugar in the juice, not only because of the yield but because of the quality of the juice. Cornstalk syrup may be manufactured by nearly the same process as sorghum syrup. Cornstalk syrup is clear, reddish amber in color, with a pleasant flavor. As produced, it is not a table syrup but an excellent cooking syrup considered equal to the best grades of sorghum and cane molasses". A link to the abstract is here.
So, while we consider these insects to be simply randomly meandering around, they are driven to seek food and shelter. All we have to do is watch and learn. Ken
"The Use Of Stalks Syrup. – Most of the different plants of the grass family have hollow stems, but there are three notable exceptions: sorghum, sugar cane, and corn. All three contain cane sugar. The Aztecs in Mexico made use of the corn plant for sugar, in the same manner as sugar cane is now used.
In a Minnesota experiments five varieties of sweet com and two of field com were used. When the com is ripe enough to can, the juice of the stalks contains 9-11 per cent cane sugar. If the stalks stand in the field twenty days after the removal of the ears, the amount of sugar in the stalk increases to 13-17 per cent. The proper stage for syrup-making is during the time of maximum amount of sugar in the juice, not only because of the yield but because of the quality of the juice. Cornstalk syrup may be manufactured by nearly the same process as sorghum syrup. Cornstalk syrup is clear, reddish amber in color, with a pleasant flavor. As produced, it is not a table syrup but an excellent cooking syrup considered equal to the best grades of sorghum and cane molasses". A link to the abstract is here.
So, while we consider these insects to be simply randomly meandering around, they are driven to seek food and shelter. All we have to do is watch and learn. Ken
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