alexwild > Formica argentea (the silver/grey ant) is a frequent host species for the 'slave-raiding' ant Polyergus breviceps (red). Here, I have disturbed a hibernating nest in early spring. The red Polyergus are slow to wake, but their skittish captives are active earlier in the season and come to life.

Sagehen Creek Field Station, California, USA
alexwild > Dorymyrmex reginiculus (at left), a socially parasitic species, is harassed by a worker of its host Dorymyrmex elegans.  Workers of the two species coexist in a single nest for a period after the parasite queen has assumed reproduction and before the last remaining host workers die off.  The transition period is not entirely smooth, as evidenced by this aggressive interaction.

Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA
alexwild > Dorymyrmex reginiculus (at left), a socially parasitic species, is harassed by a worker of its host Dorymyrmex elegans.  Workers of the two species coexist in a single nest for a period after the parasite queen has assumed reproduction and before the last remaining host workers die off.  The transition period is not entirely smooth, as evidenced by this aggressive interaction.

Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA
alexwild > Dorymyrmex reginiculus (at left), a socially parasitic species, is harassed by a worker of its host Dorymyrmex elegans.  Workers of the two species coexist in a single nest for a period after the parasite queen has assumed reproduction and before the last remaining host workers die off.  The transition period is not entirely smooth, as evidenced by this aggressive interaction.

Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA
alexwild > Dorymyrmex reginiculus (at left), a socially parasitic species, is harassed by a worker of its host Dorymyrmex elegans.  Workers of the two species coexist in a single nest for a period after the parasite queen has assumed reproduction and before the last remaining host workers die off.  The transition period is not entirely smooth, as evidenced by this aggressive interaction.

Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA
alexwild > An Aphaenogaster treatae worker arranges a spent formicine cocoon around her nest entrance.

Lake Glendale, Illinois, USA
alexwild > An inconspicuous nest entrance of Aphaenogaster treatae marked with beetle elytra, bodies of other ant species, cocoon fragments, and other debris.

Lake Glendale, Illinois, USA
alexwild > These Aphaenogaster lamellidens foragers have discovered a live centipede and are attempting to pull it from its burrow.

Dixon Springs, Illinois, USA
alexwild > These Aphaenogaster lamellidens foragers have discovered a live centipede and are attempting to pull it from its burrow.

Dixon Springs, Illinois, USA
Formica argentea (the silver/grey ant) is a frequent host species for the 'slave-raiding' ant Polyergus breviceps (red). Here, I have disturbed a hibernating nest in early spring. The red Polyergus are slow to wake, but their skittish captives are active earlier in the season and come to life.

Sagehen Creek Field Station, California, USA
alexwild > Formica argentea (the silver/grey ant) is a frequent host species for the 'slave-raiding' ant Polyergus breviceps (red). Here, I have disturbed a hibernating nest in early spring. The red Polyergus are slow to wake, but their skittish captives are active earlier in the season and come to life.

Sagehen Creek Field Station, California, USA
Formica argentea (the silver/grey ant) is a frequent host species for the 'slave-raiding' ant Polyergus breviceps (red). Here, I have disturbed a hibernating nest in early spring. The red Polyergus are slow to wake, but their skittish captives are active earlier in the season and come to life.

Sagehen Creek Field Station, California, USA
See photo in original gallery.

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all images and text © Alex Wild 2010

insect pictures, insect images, insect photos, insect photography, ant images, bug pictures, bug photographs, insect identification, ant pictures