Azteca alfari worker ant guarding her Cecropia host tree. Gamboa, Panama - Alex Wild Photography - Insect Photography - Insect Pictures

Plants and Ants

Images of interactions among ants and plants, two of the most dominant terrestrial organisms.

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The hollow stem of a Cecropia ant-plant is divided into chambers to house fierce Azteca alfari ants. Inside, the ants raise their brood and tend to mealybugs.

Gamboa, Panama

The hollow stem of a Cecropia tree houses a colony of fierce Azteca alfari ants. Here, a worker drags a larva to safety after the photographer disturbs the nest.

Gamboa, Panama

The hollow stem of a Cecropia tree houses a colony of fierce Azteca alfari ants. Here, a worker carries a larva to safety after the photographer disturbs the nest. Note the mealybugs at lower-left, which the ants tend for honeydew.

Gamboa, Panama

Gamboa, Panama

Azteca alfari Cecropia ants guard their tree zealously against intruders. Working together, they surround and immobilize their opponents such as this trap-jaw ant by pinning down their appendages.

Gamboa, Panama

Azteca alfari Cecropia ants do not tolerate other species on their host tree. When intruders are encountered, the Azteca patrollers work together to pin them down. Interestingly, the offending insects aren't always killed. This Camponotus was simply dragged to the edge of the plant and dropped.

Gamboa, Panama

Azteca alfari worker ant guarding her Cecropia host tree.

Gamboa, Panama

Food bodies sprout from the base of a Cecropia leaf. These feed the plant's protective Azteca ants.

Gamboa, Panama

The hollow stem of a Cecropia tree houses a colony of fierce Azteca alfari ants. Here, a worker walks across a pile of maturing pupae.

Gamboa, Panama

An Azteca alfari worker ant guards the nest entrance.

Gamboa, Panama

Azteca alfari worker ant guarding her Cecropia host tree.

Gamboa, Panama

Azteca alfari worker ant guarding her Cecropia host tree.

Gamboa, Panama

Azteca alfari worker ant guarding her Cecropia host tree.

Gamboa, Panama

Canon EOS 20D |

More details: exif |

Original size: 3504x2332 |

Current: 800x533 |

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Keywords: ants macro insects azteca caste hymenoptera formicidae dolichoderinae worker ants social insects ants and plants cecropia ants ant plant ants little orange tree ants tahyi ambau guard ants

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all images and text © Alex Wild 2001-2013

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