Many species of flies use their wings for communication. This Ulidiid sports both pigmented spots- visible in the wing silhouetted by the flower petal- and rainbow reflections, visible in the wing against the dark background.

MacLaughlin UC Reserve, California, USA
Proatta butteli

Danum Valley Field Centre, Sabah Borneo
Myrmecocystus mexicanus. Honeypot ants have an unusual food storage system.  Some members of each colony act as living receptacles known as "repletes", these ants become engorged with food and hang from the ceilings of chambers deep underground.  

Captive colony at the California Academy of Sciences
Paratrechina longicornis crazy ants scavenging a trap-jaw ant carcass.  Paratrechina group-transport their food, a rapid method, allowing them to secure resources before slower but more aggressive competing species.

Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA
Nylanderia sp. recruiting in large numbers to an insect carcass.

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

Cape York Peninsula, Queensland, Australia
Eciton burchellii army ants.  These large, predaceous ants are ubiquitous in the rainforests of Central and South America.


Captive colony at the California Academy of Sciences
Rhytidoponera sp.

Iron Range National Park, Queensland, Australia
Nylanderia sp. recruiting in large numbers to an insect carcass.

Cape York Peninsula, Queensland, Australia
Myrmecocystus mexicanus. Honeypot ants have an unusual food storage system. Some members of each colony act as living receptacles known as "repletes", these ants become engorged with food and hang from the ceilings of chambers deep underground.

Captive colony at the California Academy of Sciences
Myrmecocystus mexicanus. Honeypot ants have an unusual food storage system.  Some members of each colony act as living receptacles known as "repletes", these ants become engorged with food and hang from the ceilings of chambers deep underground.  

Captive colony at the California Academy of Sciences
Myrmecocystus mexicanus. Honeypot ants have an unusual food storage system. Some members of each colony act as living receptacles known as "repletes", these ants become engorged with food and hang from the ceilings of chambers deep underground.

Captive colony at the California Academy of Sciences
See photo in original gallery.
all images and text © Alex Wild 2001-2013