Trachymyrmex desertorum workers in the fungus garden. Tucson, Arizona, USA - Alex Wild Photography - Insect Photography - Insect Pictures

Ants of the North American Deserts

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Western harvester ants (Pogonomyrmex occidentalis) make distinctive mound nests on the desert floor.

Hallelujah Junction, California, USA

Pogonomyrmex maricopa harvester ants inspect a mesquite seed.

Tucson, Arizona, USA

Two harvester ants (Pogonomyrmex rugosus) from adjacent nests engaging in ritual warfare, pushing in a display of force but not actually harming each other. It is thought that colonies use these mock battles to gather information about their neighbors. Knowledge about the strength of competing colonies helps ants set territorial borders without loss of life.

Tucson, Arizona, USA

Solenopsis xyloni is a fire ant native to southern and western North America.

Solano County, California, USA

Tetramorium hispidum, along with its sister species T. spinosum, presents an unsolved evolutionary mystery of the North American ant fauna. Tetramorium, an ubiquitous and extraordinarily diverse genus in Africa and Asia, is nearly absent in the Americas. These two species, both confined to the desert Southwest, are the only native Tetramorium in the hemisphere. When and how the ancestor of these ants arrived is not known.

Tucson, Arizona, USA

Trachymyrmex desertorum workers in the fungus garden.

Tucson, Arizona, USA

Trachymyrmex pomonae

Portal, Arizona, USA

Trachymyrmex arizonensis & Pyramica arizonica. The minute Pyramica arizonica (at center) is found only inside nests of another ant species, the fungus-growing ant Trachymyrmex arizonensis.

Sycamore Canyon, Arizona, USA

Trachymyrmex desertorum workers in the fungus garden.

Tucson, Arizona, USA

Trachymyrmex desertorum workers in the fungus garden.

Tucson, Arizona, USA

Trachymyrmex desertorum workers in the fungus garden.

Tucson, Arizona, USA

Canon EOS 20D |

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Keywords: formicidae myrmicinae ant nest worker ants attini trachymyrmex social insects fungus garden eusociality hyphae ant agriculture monomorphic fungus growing ant trachymyrmex desertorum farming ants farmer ants

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