A raiding party of Eciton burchellii army ants streams home towards the bivuoac while a soldier stands guard.

Maquipucuna Reserve, Pichincha, Ecuador
Eciton burchellii workers transport a captured ant pupa back to their bivouac.

Maquipucuna reserve, Pichincha, Ecuador
A raiding party of Eciton burchellii army ants streams home towards the bivuoac while a soldier stands guard.

Maquipucuna Reserve, Pichincha, Ecuador
Eciton burchellii workers transport a captured ant pupa back to their bivouac.

Maquipucuna reserve, Pichincha, Ecuador
A raiding party of Eciton burchellii army ants streams home towards the bivuoac while a soldier stands guard.

Maquipucuna Reserve, Pichincha, Ecuador
Army ants such as these Eciton are important predators in many tropical ecosystems.  Colonies have worker ants of different sizes that specialize in different tasks.  

Captive colony at the California Academy of Sciences
Army ants such as these Eciton burchellii are important predators in many tropical ecosystems. 

Captive colony at the California Academy of Sciences
The busy nest entrance of Atta colombica, a forest-dwelling leafcutter ant.

Gamboa, Panama
Army ants such as these Eciton burchellii are important predators in many tropical ecosystems. 

Captive colony at the California Academy of Sciences
A raiding party of Eciton burchellii army ants streams home towards the bivuoac while a soldier stands guard.

Maquipucuna Reserve, Pichincha, Ecuador
A raiding party of Eciton burchellii army ants streams home towards the bivuoac while a soldier stands guard.

Maquipucuna Reserve, Pichincha, Ecuador
A raiding party of Eciton burchellii army ants streams home towards the bivuoac while a soldier stands guard.

Maquipucuna Reserve, Pichincha, Ecuador
See photo in original gallery.
all images and text © Alex Wild 2001-2013