Forelius mccooki workers taking nectar from a Cholla cactus in the Sonoran desert.  Cacti provide nectar to attract ants, as some ant species help the plant by removing herbivorous insects.

Tucson, Arizona, USA
Sonoran desert cacti are frequently covered in ants.  Cacti provide ants with nectar- a ready food supply in a harsh environment- in exchange for protection from herbivorous insects.  Here, two Crematogaster opuntiae acrobat ants exchange nectar they have gathered from a chain-link cholla.

Tucson, Arizona, USA
Forelius mccooki workers taking nectar from a Cholla cactus in the Sonoran desert.  Cacti provide nectar to attract ants, as some ant species help the plant by removing herbivorous insects.

Tucson, Arizona, USA
Crematogaster opuntiae gathering nectar from a cholla cactus.

Tucson, Arizona, USA
Forelius mccooki workers taking nectar from a Cholla cactus in the Sonoran desert.  Cacti provide nectar to attract ants, as some ant species help the plant by removing herbivorous insects.

Tucson, Arizona, USA
Sonoran desert cacti are frequently covered in ants.  Cacti provide ants with nectar- a ready food supply in a harsh environment- in exchange for protection from herbivorous insects.  Here, two Crematogaster opuntiae acrobat ants exchange nectar they have gathered from a chain-link cholla.

Tucson, Arizona, USA
Sonoran desert cacti are frequently covered in ants.  Cacti provide ants with nectar- a ready food supply in a harsh environment- in exchange for protection from herbivorous insects.  Here, two Crematogaster opuntiae acrobat ants exchange nectar they have gathered from a chain-link cholla.

Tucson, Arizona, USA
Forelius mccooki workers taking nectar from a Cholla cactus in the Sonoran desert.  Cacti provide nectar to attract ants, as some ant species help the plant by removing herbivorous insects.

Tucson, Arizona, USA
Crematogaster opuntiae gathering nectar from a cholla cactus.

Tucson, Arizona, USA
Forelius mccooki workers taking nectar from a Cholla cactus in the Sonoran desert. Cacti provide nectar to attract ants, as some ant species help the plant by removing herbivorous insects.

Tucson, Arizona, USA
Forelius mccooki workers taking nectar from a Cholla cactus in the Sonoran desert.  Cacti provide nectar to attract ants, as some ant species help the plant by removing herbivorous insects.

Tucson, Arizona, USA
Forelius mccooki workers taking nectar from a Cholla cactus in the Sonoran desert. Cacti provide nectar to attract ants, as some ant species help the plant by removing herbivorous insects.

Tucson, Arizona, USA
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all images and text © Alex Wild 2001-2013