Pogonomyrmex badius, the Florida harvester ant

Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA
Pogonomyrmex badius, the Florida harvester ant, queen.  Her enlarged thorax holds muscles from younger days when she had wings for dispersing from her natal nest.

Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA
A nest of Pogonomyrmex badius, the Florida harvester ant. Nests of this species are characteristically ringed with debris and small pieces of charcoal, which are thought to serve as a boundary to keep other ants away from the nest entrance.

Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA
The Florida harvester ant Pogonomyrmex badius is the only North American pogo found east of the Mississippi, and the only species that is polymorphic in the worker caste.  The individual on the right is a major worker whose enlarged head holds muscles useful for milling seeds.

Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA
Pogonomyrmex badius, the Florida harvester ant

Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA
Pogonomyrmex badius, the Florida harvester ant

Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA
Pogonomyrmex badius, the Florida harvester ant, queen and worker

Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA
Pogonomyrmex badius, the Florida harvester ant, major worker. 

Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA
Three female morphological castes in the Florida harvester ant Pogonomyrmex badius: queen (left), major worker (top), and minor worker (bottom).

Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA
Pogonomyrmex badius, the Florida harvester ant

Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA
Pogonomyrmex badius, the Florida harvester ant

Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA
Pogonomyrmex badius, the Florida harvester ant

Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA
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all images and text © Alex Wild 2001-2013