A young Aphaenogaster picea foundress queen with her first batch of eggs.

South Bristol, New York, USA
A young Lasius foundress queen raises her first crop of workers sealed in an underground chamber. She feeds the developing larvae with reserves from her own body.

South Bristol, New York, USA
Melissotarsus weissi, queen (right) and worker.

Kibale Forest, Uganda
Pachycondyla (Bothroponera) sp. colony showing the queen (lower left) and a winged male (upper left) among workers and brood.

Kibale Forest, Uganda
Melissotarsus weissi, queen (right) and worker.

Kibale Forest, Uganda
One of the smallest acrobat species in North America is Crematogaster smithi. Here, a queen sits in the brood nest of a laboratory colony.

Portal, Arizona, USA
Inside a laboratory nest a young fire ant queen (Solenopsis invicta) tends to her first eggs.

Laboratory colony at the University of Central Florida, USA
Inside a laboratory nest a young fire ant queen (Solenopsis invicta) tends to her first eggs.

Laboratory colony at the University of Central Florida, USA
A Prenolepis imparis winter ant gyne climbs a twig prior to her early spring mating flight.

Urbana, Illinois, USA
Inside a laboratory nest a young fire ant queen (Solenopsis invicta) tends to her first eggs.

Laboratory colony at the University of Central Florida, USA
Inside a laboratory nest a young fire ant queen (Solenopsis invicta) tends to her first eggs.

Laboratory colony at the University of Central Florida, USA
Inside a laboratory nest a young fire ant queen (Solenopsis invicta) tends to her first eggs.

Laboratory colony at the University of Central Florida, USA
See photo in original gallery.
all images and text © Alex Wild 2001-2013