Dorylus driver ant soldier.

Kibale Forest, Uganda
Dorylus driver ants stand guard over a foraging column.

Kibale Forest, Uganda
Dorylus helvolus

St. Lucia, KZN, South Africa
Dorylus helvolus is a polymorphic species, having worker ants of varying sizes that specialize on different tasks.

St. Lucia, KZN, South Africa
Dorylus helvolus.  Driver ants have lost their eyes over the course of evolution.  These predatory ants navigate instead using their keen senses of touch and smell.  Most Dorylus species are subterranean where eyesight is of limited use.

St. Lucia, KZN, South Africa
Dorylus helvolus, soldier.  This widespread African species is blind and largely subterranean.

St. Lucia, KZN, South Africa
Dorylus helvolus is a polymorphic species, having worker ants of varying sizes that specialize on different tasks.

St. Lucia, KZN, South Africa
A subterranean trail of Dorylus helvolus.

St. Lucia, KZN, South Africa
Dorylus helvolus, soldier.  This widespread African species is blind and largely subterranean.

St. Lucia, KZN, South Africa
A subterranean trail of Dorylus helvolus.

St. Lucia, KZN, South Africa
A subterranean trail of Dorylus helvolus.

St. Lucia, KZN, South Africa
A subterranean trail of Dorylus helvolus.

St. Lucia, KZN, South Africa
See photo in original gallery.
all images and text © Alex Wild 2001-2013