Crematogaster acrobat ants use their stingers in defense, but they don't pierce the integument of their opponents. Rather, the stinger serves as a brush for smearing defensive chemicals on their adversaries. Here, a worker defends a food bait against an intruding Pheidole.

Kibale forest, Uganda
A Crematogaster acrobat ant deters a Pheidole worker.

Kibale forest, Uganda
Crematogaster acrobat ants use their stingers in defense, but they don't pierce the integument of their opponents. Rather, the stinger serves as a brush for smearing defensive chemicals on their adversaries. Here, a worker defends a food bait against an intruding Pheidole.

Kibale forest, Uganda
A swollen-thorn Acacia without protective ants is quickly overrun with vines.

Armenia, Belize
A swollen-thorn Acacia without protective ants is quickly overrun with vines.

Armenia, Belize
Camponotus textor workers from different colonies fight at a territorial boundary.

Icononzo, Tolima, Colombia
Fighting ensues when both Acromyrmex disciger leafcutting ants and Pheidole vafra big-headed ants arrive at a cookie bait. Although the Pheidole won this particular fight, the larger battle went to the leafcutters, and within 20 minutes of taking this photo the Pheidole had vanished.

Morretes, Paraná, Brazil
When both Acromyrmex disciger leafcutting ants and Pheidole vafra big-headed ants arrive at a cookie bait I placed on the ground, fighting ensues. Although the Pheidole won this particular fight, the larger battle went to the leafcutters, and within 20 minutes of taking this photo the Pheidole had vanished.

Morretes, Paraná, Brazil
When both Acromyrmex disciger leafcutting ants and Pheidole vafra big-headed ants arrive at a cookie bait I placed on the ground, fighting ensues. Although the Pheidole won this particular fight, the larger battle went to the leafcutters, and within 20 minutes of taking this photo the Pheidole had vanished.

Morretes, Paraná, Brazil
Crematogaster acrobat ants use their stingers in defense, but they don't pierce the integument of their opponents. Rather, the stinger serves as a brush for smearing defensive chemicals on their adversaries. Here, a worker defends a food bait against an intruding Pheidole.

Kibale forest, Uganda
Crematogaster acrobat ants use their stingers in defense, but they don't pierce the integument of their opponents. Rather, the stinger serves as a brush for smearing defensive chemicals on their adversaries. Here, a worker defends a food bait against an intruding Pheidole.

Kibale forest, Uganda
Crematogaster acrobat ants use their stingers in defense, but they don't pierce the integument of their opponents. Rather, the stinger serves as a brush for smearing defensive chemicals on their adversaries. Here, a worker defends a food bait against an intruding Pheidole.

Kibale forest, Uganda
See photo in original gallery.
all images and text © Alex Wild 2001-2013