A young pavement ant queen, Tetramorium caespitum.

Urbana, Illinois, USA
Eciton hamatum army ant soldier. This portrait is a composite of 32 photographs taken at different focal depths and stacked to produce an artificially sharp image. 

Armenia, Belize
Eciton hamatum army ant soldier. This portrait is a composite of 32 photographs taken at different focal depths and stacked to produce an artificially sharp image. 

Armenia, Belize
Lasius neoniger nests are often marked by a pile of excavated soil.

Gainesville, Florida, USA
Portrait of the trap-jaw ant Odontomachus rixosus with her jaws closed.

Cambodia (laboratory colony at the University of Illinois)
Odontomachus rixosus trap-jaw ant with mandibles in the open (top) and closed (bottom) positions. 

Cambodia (laboratory colony at the University of Illinois)
The brightly colored head of Odontomachus erythrocephalus makes this species among the most recognizable trap-jaw ants.

Icononzo, Tolima, Colombia
Lasius neoniger nests are often marked by a pile of excavated soil.

Gainesville, Florida, USA
A fisheye view of a Lasius neoniger nest showing the characteristic circular pile of excavated soil.

Gainesville, Florida, USA
A young pavement ant queen, Tetramorium caespitum.

Urbana, Illinois, USA
A young pavement ant queen, Tetramorium caespitum.

Urbana, Illinois, USA
A young pavement ant queen, Tetramorium caespitum.

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