Solenopsis molesta - thief ant, grooming. Ants are meticulous about hygiene and frequently clean their legs and antennae.

Urbana, Illinois, USA
Aphaenogaster miamiana worker ant grooming herself.  Ants have a brush on their forelegs that are used for cleaning the antennae.

Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA
Thaumatomyrmex atrox

Venezuela
Thaumatomyrmex atrox

Venezuela
Stigmacros worker ant grooming.  Ants are meticulously clean animals.

Yandoit, Victoria, Australia
Thaumatomyrmex atrox

Venezuela
Pachycondyla stigma, grooming.

Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA
Pachycondyla stigma, a mostly subterranean species, forages through a rotting log.

Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA
Pachycondyla stigma has traveled the world with human commerce and is now established in a number of tropical locations around the world.  The species is likely native to South America.

Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA
Pachycondyla stigma has traveled the world with human commerce and is now established in a number of tropical locations around the world. The species is likely native to South America.

Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA
Pachycondyla stigma has traveled the world with human commerce and is now established in a number of tropical locations around the world.  The species is likely native to South America.

Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA
Pachycondyla stigma has traveled the world with human commerce and is now established in a number of tropical locations around the world. The species is likely native to South America.

Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA
See photo in original gallery.
all images and text © Alex Wild 2001-2013