Solenopsis carolinensis thief ants. 

Gainesville, Florida, USA
Solenopsis carolinensis thief ants. These insects- at 2mm in length- are so small as to be translucent.

Gainesville, Florida, USA
Solenopsis carolinensis thief ants. 

Gainesville, Florida, USA
Solenopsis carolinensis thief ants. These insects- at 2mm in length- are so small as to be translucent.

Gainesville, Florida, USA
Her nest disturbed by the photographer, a Solenopsis thief ant worker exudes a droplet of venom on her stinger and waves it in the air. 

Morretes, Paraná, Brazil
Myrmecologists often start new laboratory colonies from young mated queens. These Solenopsis molesta thief ant queens were collected after a midsummer mating flight and are now raising their first brood.

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, USA
Solenopsis pergandei queen and workers.  

Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA
Solenopsis pergandei is a subterranean ant found in sandy soils throughout the southeastern United States.  These tiny insects are scarcely larger than the sand grains that surround them.

Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA
Solenopsis pergandei queen and workers.  

Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA
Myrmecologists often start new laboratory colonies from young mated queens. These Solenopsis molesta thief ant queens were collected after a midsummer mating flight and are now raising their first brood.

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, USA
Myrmecologists often start new laboratory colonies from young mated queens. These Solenopsis molesta thief ant queens were collected after a midsummer mating flight and are now raising their first brood.

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, USA
Myrmecologists often start new laboratory colonies from young mated queens. These Solenopsis molesta thief ant queens were collected after a midsummer mating flight and are now raising their first brood.

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, USA
See photo in original gallery.
all images and text © Alex Wild 2001-2013