Portrait of Pachycondyla villosa, a conspicuous ponerine hunting ant found from southern Texas to northern Argentina. Because of its large size and painful sting, this species is a frequent model of ant-mimicking spiders. Jatun Sacha reserve, Napo, Ecuador - Alex Wild Photography - Insect Photography

Pachycondyla

is a heterogenous assemblage of predatory ponerine ants. These attractive insects are found in tropical and warm temperate regions worldwide.

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Portrait of Pachycondyla villosa, a conspicuous ponerine hunting ant found from southern Texas to northern Argentina. Because of its large size and painful sting, this species is a frequent model of ant-mimicking spiders.

Jatun Sacha reserve, Napo, Ecuador

Pachycondyla (Bothroponera) sp.

Koh Kong Province, Cambodia (laboratory colony at the University of Illinois)

When threatened, some species of Pachycondyla (Bothroponera) create a defensive foam from their venom gland. The foam is produced quickly and in impressive quantities, sometimes forming long chains of single bubbles. Here, I provoked the behavior by picking up a worker with forceps.

Koh Kong Province, Cambodia (laboratory colony at the University of Illinois)

When threatened, some species of Pachycondyla (Bothroponera) create a defensive foam from their venom gland.

Koh Kong Province, Cambodia (laboratory colony at the University of Illinois)

The quantity of defensive foam produced by a single Pachycondyla (Bothroponera) sp. ant is surprisingly large.

Koh Kong Province, Cambodia (laboratory colony at the University of Illinois)

When I pick up a Pachycondyla (Bothroponera) worker with forceps she emits a defensive stream of foam from her venom gland. (Also, it turns out she stings, too!)

Koh Kong Province, Cambodia (laboratory colony at the University of Illinois)

Pachycondyla (Bothroponera) create impressive amounts of defensive foam when threatened.

Koh Kong Province, Cambodia (laboratory colony at the University of Illinois)

Pachycondyla (Bothroponera) leaving a trail of defensive foam.

Koh Kong Province, Cambodia (laboratory colony at the University of Illinois)

Portrait of Pachycondyla ambigua.

Kibale forest, Uganda

Portrait of Pachycondyla villosa, a conspicuous ponerine hunting ant found from southern Texas to northern Argentina. Because of its large size and painful sting, this species is a frequent model of ant-mimicking spiders.

Jatun Sacha reserve, Napo, Ecuador

ant-mimicking spiders. Jatun Sacha reserve, Napo, Ecuador" href="javascript:openLB(1191488735,'',XLarge,'',1024,683);"> Portrait of Pachycondyla villosa, a conspicuous ponerine hunting ant found from southern Texas to northern Argentina. Because of its large size and painful sting, this species is a frequent model of ant-mimicking spiders.

Jatun Sacha reserve, Napo, Ecuador

Canon EOS 7D |

More details: exif |

Original size: 4158x2772 |

Current: 800x534 |

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Keywords: white ponerinae neoponera hormiga tigre stinging ant

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Pachycondyla

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