alexwild > Pheidologeton affinis, supermajor and minor workers attacking a beetle grub. Supermajors have powerful mandibles useful for cutting up and carrying large prey items.  The supermajor pictured here was able to single-handedly drag this very large beetle larva across the substrate while I photographed them.

Rossville, Queensland, Australia
alexwild > Pheidologeton affinis, supermajor and minor workers. Pheidologeton has one of the most pronounced size differences among nestmate workers of any ant.

Rossville, Queensland, Australia
alexwild > A trail of Pheidole rhea, North America's largest Pheidole species.

Tucson, Arizona, USA
alexwild > Minor and supermajor workers of Pheidole rhea, North America's largest Pheidole.  This species is a desert seed-harvesting ant.

Portal, Arizona, USA
alexwild > A trail of Pheidole rhea, North America's largest Pheidole species.

Tucson, Arizona, USA
alexwild > Worker polymorphism in the marauder ant Pheidologeton affinis.  Pictured here is a single supermajor worker, two major workers, and full complement of minor workers.  These insects are all sisters and are essentially genetically identical, their different morphologies a result of developmental plasticity.  

Rossville, Queensland, Australia
alexwild > Pheidologeton affinis supermajor and minor workers.

Rossville, Queensland, Australia
alexwild > Pheidologeton affinis supermajor and minor workers.

Rossville, Queensland, Australia
alexwild > Pheidologeton affinis marauder ants have one of the largest size disparities between the largest and smallest worker ants in a colony.  Here a supermajor uses her massive jaws to cut through tree bark while minor workers stand by.  The ants have discovered beetle larvae- a favored prey item- underneath the bark.

Rossville, Queensland, Australia
Pheidologeton affinis, supermajor and minor workers attacking a beetle grub. Supermajors have powerful mandibles useful for cutting up and carrying large prey items. The supermajor pictured here was able to single-handedly drag this very large beetle larva across the substrate while I photographed them.

Rossville, Queensland, Australia
alexwild > Pheidologeton affinis, supermajor and minor workers attacking a beetle grub. Supermajors have powerful mandibles useful for cutting up and carrying large prey items.  The supermajor pictured here was able to single-handedly drag this very large beetle larva across the substrate while I photographed them.

Rossville, Queensland, Australia
Pheidologeton affinis, supermajor and minor workers attacking a beetle grub. Supermajors have powerful mandibles useful for cutting up and carrying large prey items. The supermajor pictured here was able to single-handedly drag this very large beetle larva across the substrate while I photographed them.

Rossville, Queensland, Australia
See photo in original gallery.

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all images and text © Alex Wild 2010

insect pictures, insect images, insect photos, insect photography, ant images, bug pictures, bug photographs, insect identification, ant pictures