Messor pergandei carrying seeds back to the nest.

Mojave National Preserve, California, USA
Messor pergandei is among the most commonly seen seed harvesting ants in southern California.  Colonies of this species contain worker ants of different sizes, while most other seed harvesters in the region have monomorphic workers.  Here, a major worker carries a seed back to the nest.

Anza Borrego Desert, California, USA
Messor lariversi carrying a seed back to her nest.  Night-active species are often lighter in color than their day-active counterparts.

Sand Springs Dune, Nevada, USA
Meranoplus unicolor.  An Australian harvester ant carries a seed back to her nest.

Cape York Peninsula, Queensland, Australia
Aphaenogaster albisetosa harvester ants carry a seed back to their nest.

Portal, Arizona, USA
A harvester ant worker (Pogonomyrmex rugosus) pulls grass seeds off the stalk. Ants store the seeds in underground chambers to carry them through times of drought.

Tucson, Arizona, USA
Pogonomyrmex rugosus, harvester ant worker cutting grass seeds off the stalk.

Tucson, Arizona, USA
Pogonomyrmex rastratus

Amaicha del Valle, Tucumán, Argentina
Pogonomyrmex micans worker grappling with a seed.  Seed-harvesting ants store their finds in underground chambers, where their cache helps them survice periods of dearth.

Frías, Santiago de Estero, Argentina
Messor pergandei carrying seeds back to the nest.

Mojave National Preserve, California, USA
Messor pergandei carrying seeds back to the nest.

Mojave National Preserve, California, USA
Messor pergandei carrying seeds back to the nest.

Mojave National Preserve, California, USA
See photo in original gallery.
all images and text © Alex Wild 2001-2013