Major and minor workers of the turtle ant Cephalotes pusillus engage in trophallaxis food-sharing behavior.

Carrancas, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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
Pheidole vafra minor workers cooperate to carry a piece of cookie I used to bait them out of their nest.

Morretes, Paraná, Brazil
Camponotus rufipes workers are quick to defend their nests. Here, a worker digs into my finger.

Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
Martialis heureka - preserved holotype specimen.

Museu de Zoologia, São Paulo, Brazil
In a remnant of Brazil's once-great Atlantic coastal rainforest, an Acromyrmex disciger leafcutter ant carries a leaf back to her nest. The forest where these ants live has been 95% destroyed by human activities.

Morretes, Paraná, Brazil
Nylanderia parvula

Urbana, Illinois, USA
Tetramorium bicarinatum foragers gather sugar-laden nectar from the underside of a leaf.

Orlando, Florida, USA
Camponotus (Colobopsis) impressus is a small arboreal ant whose minor workers (right) mimic Crematogaster acrobat ants. The major workers (left) serve as living doors, plugging nest entrances with an enlarged head.

Laboratory colony at the University of Central Florida, USA
Camponotus (Colobopsis) impressus is a small arboreal ant whose minor workers (right) mimic Crematogaster acrobat ants. The major workers (left) serve as living doors, plugging nest entrances with an enlarged head.

Laboratory colony at the University of Central Florida, USA
Camponotus (Colobopsis) impressus is a small arboreal ant whose minor workers (right) mimic Crematogaster acrobat ants. The major workers (left) serve as living doors, plugging nest entrances with an enlarged head.

Laboratory colony at the University of Central Florida, USA
Camponotus (Colobopsis) impressus is a small arboreal ant whose minor workers (right) mimic Crematogaster acrobat ants. The major workers (left) serve as living doors, plugging nest entrances with an enlarged head.

Laboratory colony at the University of Central Florida, USA
See photo in original gallery.
all images and text © Alex Wild 2001-2013