Making a Living Galleries

Farming Ants: Leafcutters and Fungus Growers : Farming Ants: Leafcutters and Fungus Growers Hundreds of ant species live as farmers in the warmer regions of North and South America. These insects- a single evolutionary radiation- cultivate an edible fungus fed with bits of vegetative debris, or in the case of the leafcutter ants, with live vegetation.

Farming Ants: Leafcutters and Fungus Growers

Seed Harvesters : Seed-Harvesting Ants Granivory has evolved numerous times among the ants, especially in arid regions where seed stores help colonies survive extended periods of dearth.

Seed Harvesters

Cryptic Ants: Life in the Litter : Cryptic Ants: Life in the Litter Scarcely noticed by human observers, thousands of cryptic ant species live entirely underground in soil, rotting wood and leaf litter. These small, often blind insects are predators, scavengers, and farmers of root insects.

Cryptic Ants: Life in the Litter

Arboreal Ants: Life in the Treetops : Arboreal Ants: Life in the Treetops In the warmer regions of the world, a rich and colorful ant fauna lives entirely in the trees.

Arboreal Ants: Life in the Treetops

Army Ants and Other Nomads : Army Ants and Other Nomads Several lineages of ants in the warmer regions of the world have evolved a lifestyle of nomadic predation.

Army Ants and Other Nomads

Social Parasites : Social Parasites Images of ants that make their living off the labors of other species.

Social Parasites

Tramps and Invaders : Tramps & Invaders The rise of human civilization has brought significant changes to the world's ant fauna. Previously obscure ants thrive in new urban and human-modified landscapes, transforming themselves into damaging pest species. A great many species have risen to global dominance by hitchhiking around with trade, cargo, and commerce.

Tramps and Invaders

Trap-Jaw Ants : Trap-Jaw Ants Several lineages of ants have independently evolved an effective predatory device: spring-loaded mandibles that snap shut on a hair trigger.

Trap-Jaw Ants

all images and text © Alex Wild 2001-2013