Pheidole obscurithorax stays ahead of the competition using group retrieval of food (in this case, a scavenged cockroach carcass).  Working together, the ants can usually get the bounty home before a more aggressive species usurps their find.

Orlando, Florida, USA
Death by spider: an Oecophylla smaragdina green tree ant captured by a web-building spider.

Cape Tribulation, Queensland, Australia
Death by spider: an Oecophylla smaragdina green tree ant captured by a web-building spider.

Cape Tribulation, Queensland, Australia
Ants are dominant scavengers in most terrestrial ecosystems. Carcasses of other arthropods are quickly discovered and carried back to the nest. Here, Anonychomyrma workers cooperate to transport the body of a dead carpenter ant.

Harrietville, Vicotoria, Australia
Amyciaea albomaculata

Cape Tribulation, Queensland, Australia
Amyciaea albomaculata

Cape Tribulation, Queensland, Australia
Amyciaea albomaculata

Cape Tribulation, Queensland, Australia
Amyciaea albomaculata

Cape Tribulation, Queensland, Australia
Pheidole obscurithorax stays ahead of the competition using group retrieval of food (in this case, a scavenged cockroach carcass). Working together, the ants can usually get the bounty home before a more aggressive species usurps their find.

Orlando, Florida, USA
Pheidole obscurithorax stays ahead of the competition using group retrieval of food (in this case, a scavenged cockroach carcass).  Working together, the ants can usually get the bounty home before a more aggressive species usurps their find.

Orlando, Florida, USA
Pheidole obscurithorax stays ahead of the competition using group retrieval of food (in this case, a scavenged cockroach carcass). Working together, the ants can usually get the bounty home before a more aggressive species usurps their find.

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