Myrmecocystus is a formicine genus endemic to the arid regions of western North America. Some members of each colony become living storage containers and hang from the ceilings of nest chambers deep underground, their abdomens greatly swollen with food. They are sometimes referred to as "honeypot ants".
The distinctive nest entrance of the nocturnal honeypot ant Myrmecocystus mexicanus.
Huachuca mountains, Arizona, USA
The distinctive nest entrance of the nocturnal honeypot ant Myrmecocystus mexicanus.
Huachuca mountains, Arizona, USA
Canon EOS 20D |
Original size: 3504x2332 |
Current: 800x533 |
