Tetramorium pavement ants fight to determine the territorial boundary between two colonies. These fights are a regular feature of the biology of this species, often conspicuously staged on sidewalks and other places where this species occurs.

Clinton Lake State Recreation Area, Illinois, USA
The happenings of the insect world play out mostly unnoticed by people. Here, two colonies of Tetramorium pavement ants battle for territory along the shores of a midwestern reservoir.

Clinton Lake State Recreation Area, Illinois, USA
Tetramorium pavement ants fight to determine the territorial boundary between two colonies. These fights are a regular feature of the biology of this species, often conspicuously staged on sidewalks and other places where this species occurs.

Clinton Lake State Recreation Area, Illinois, USA
The happenings of the insect world play out mostly unnoticed by people. Here, two colonies of Tetramorium pavement ants battle for territory along the shores of a midwestern reservoir.

Clinton Lake State Recreation Area, Illinois, USA
Podomyrma gratiosa fighting with Crematogaster.

Naracoorte, South Australia
A large Podomyrma gratiosa tree ant attacks a column of smaller Crematogaster workers that pass too close to her nest.  The Crematogaster fight back, and even though the large size and heavy armor of the Podomyrma allow it a one-on-one advantage, the superior numbers of Crematogaster give the smaller ants the edge in this fight.

Naracoorte, South Australia
Nomamyrmex army ants are among the few animals that successfully attack leafcutter ant nests.  The leafcutters are not without their defenses.  Here two Atta workers attack and kill a Nomamyrmex esenbeckii scout, preventing the army ants from discovering the leafcutter's trail.

Gamboa, Panama
Podomyrma gratiosa fighting with Crematogaster.

Naracoorte, South Australia
Brute force versus chemical weaponry: the heavily armored Podomyrma gratiosa dispatches small Crematogaster with her powerful mandibles, but the smaller ants use strong defensive chemicals in return, coating their adversary with a thick acrid foam exuded from their abdomens.

Naracoorte, South Australia
Tetramorium pavement ants fight to determine the territorial boundary between two colonies. These fights are a regular feature of the biology of this species, often conspicuously staged on sidewalks and other places where this species occurs.

Clinton Lake State Recreation Area, Illinois, USA
Tetramorium pavement ants fight to determine the territorial boundary between two colonies. These fights are a regular feature of the biology of this species, often conspicuously staged on sidewalks and other places where this species occurs.

Clinton Lake State Recreation Area, Illinois, USA
Tetramorium pavement ants fight to determine the territorial boundary between two colonies. These fights are a regular feature of the biology of this species, often conspicuously staged on sidewalks and other places where this species occurs.

Clinton Lake State Recreation Area, Illinois, USA
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all images and text © Alex Wild 2001-2013