Two workers of Iridomyrmex reburrus, one of the northern meat ants.

Cape York Peninsula, Queensland, Australia
The scientific name of Australian meat ants is Iridomyrmex, or "rainbow ants", referring to their blue-green iridescent sheen. (Iridomyrmex purpureus).

Yandoit, Victoria, Australia
Iridomyrmex purpureus meat ant, foraging on a Eucalyptus flower.

Yandoit, Victoria, Australia
Odontomachus chelifer. Ants from different colonies don't normally tolerate each other.  Here, a trap-jaw ant dispatches an intruder from a neighboring nest.

Aragua, Venezuela
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
Neivamyrmex melanocephalus army ants initiating a live-ant bridge with their own bodies.  Here two ants lean against each other while a third starts to climb.

Sycamore Canyon, Arizona, USA
Azteca alfari Cecropia ants guard their tree zealously against intruders. Working together, they surround and immobilize their opponents such as this trap-jaw ant by pinning down their appendages. 

Gamboa, Panama
Temnothorax rugatulus.  Ants in this laboratory nest are individually marked with dabs of paint to help researchers at the University of Arizona track their activities. 

Tucson, Arizona, USA
Temnothorax rugatulus.  Ants in this laboratory nest are individually marked with dabs of paint to help researchers at the University of Arizona track their activities. 

Tucson, Arizona, USA
Two workers of Iridomyrmex reburrus, one of the northern meat ants.

Cape York Peninsula, Queensland, Australia
Two workers of Iridomyrmex reburrus, one of the northern meat ants.

Cape York Peninsula, Queensland, Australia
Two workers of Iridomyrmex reburrus, one of the northern meat ants.

Cape York Peninsula, Queensland, Australia
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all images and text © Alex Wild 2001-2013