Acropyga epedana

Portal, Arizona, USA
Mating Acropyga epedana ants, the queen carrying a mealybug in her mandibles.  Acropyga live nearly entirely by consuming secretions of root-feeding mealybugs, and the mealybugs depend on the ants for dispersal and protection.  When young queen ants leave the nest to mate and start new colonies, they take a mealybug with them.

Portal, Arizona, USA
Mating Acropyga epedana ants, the queen carrying a mealybug in her mandibles. Acropyga live nearly entirely by consuming secretions of root-feeding mealybugs, and the mealybugs depend on the ants for dispersal and protection. When young queen ants leave the nest to mate and start new colonies, they take a mealybug with them.

Portal, Arizona, USA
Mating Acropyga epedana ants, the queen carrying a mealybug in her mandibles.  Acropyga live nearly entirely by consuming secretions of root-feeding mealybugs, and the mealybugs depend on the ants for dispersal and protection.  When young queen ants leave the nest to mate and start new colonies, they take a mealybug with them.

Portal, Arizona, USA
Mating Acropyga epedana ants, the queen carrying a mealybug in her mandibles. Acropyga live nearly entirely by consuming secretions of root-feeding mealybugs, and the mealybugs depend on the ants for dispersal and protection. When young queen ants leave the nest to mate and start new colonies, they take a mealybug with them.

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