Portrait of a mutualism: a swollen-thorn Acacia with the ants that protect it. The hundreds of thorns on a mature tree can house colonies of up to 20,000 ants. Chiriqui, Panama - Alex Wild Photography - Insect Photography

Plants and Ants

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

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Pseudomyrmex peperi is an obligate Acacia inhabitant that zealously protects its host from intruding herbivores and aggressive vines. Here, workers cut a tendril that touched their tree.

Armenia, Belize

Portrait of a mutualism: a swollen-thorn Acacia with the ants that protect it. The hundreds of thorns on a mature tree can house colonies of up to 20,000 ants.

Chiriqui, Panama

Not all of the thorns on a swollen-thorn Acacia house the ants' larvae, but those that do are heavily guarded. Here, Pseudomyrmex spinicola patrol a nest entrance, ready to use their stings if the photographer approaches too close.

Chiriqui, Panama.

Cutting open the surprisingly soft flesh of an Acacia thorn reveals larvae and pupae of the Pseudomyrmex spinicola acacia ant.

Chiriqui, Panama.

Pseudomyrmex spinicola acacia ants guarding a nest entrance. This species has a painful sting and a much more aggressive temperment than most other Pseudomyrmex, an effective deterrent to large vertebrate herbivores.

Chiriqui, Panama

Friend or Foe? Two Pseudomyrmex spinicola acacia ant nestmates evaluate each other at the nest entrance.

Panama City, Panama

Pseudomyrmex spinicola guard their thorn nest.

Chiriqui, Panama.

A Pseudomyrmex spinicola acacia ant pauses outside the nest entrance. The ants cut a circular entrance hole to gain access to the inside of the hollow thorn.

Chiriqui, Panama.

Pseudomyrmex spinicola acacia ant, at the entrance to a thorn nest.

Chiriqui, Panama

Portrait of a mutualism: a swollen-thorn Acacia with the ants that protect it. The hundreds of thorns on a mature tree can house colonies of up to 20,000 ants.

Chiriqui, Panama

Canon EOS 20D |

More details: exif |

Original size: 3504x2332 |

Current: 800x533 |

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Plants and Ants

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