Although this flightless parasitic wasp (Eupelmidae) lacks usable flight wings, she is plenty agile. Her robust mid- and hind-legs are used for jumping.

Urbana, Illinois, USA
Cimex lectularius adult feeding.  Notice how the labium (the sheath surrounding the stylets) folds back to allow the bedbug's piercing/sucking mouthparts to sink deeper into the victim's skin.  

Chicago, Illinois, USA
Tetramorium hispidum, along with its sister species T. spinosum, presents an unsolved evolutionary mystery of the North American ant fauna. Tetramorium, an ubiquitous and extraordinarily diverse genus in Africa and Asia, is nearly absent in the Americas.  These two species, both confined to the desert Southwest, are the only native Tetramorium in the hemisphere.  When and how the ancestor of these ants arrived is not known.

Tucson, Arizona, USA
Pogonomyrmex pima worker carrying excavated soil out of the nest.

Tucson, Arizona, USA
A male Pogonomyrmex badius, the Florida harvester ant.

Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA
Portrait of Tetramorium hispidum. The wrinkled texture of the head and body help reinforce the hard integument, providing a tough body armor.  This ant is only about 4 millimeters long. 

Tucson, Arizona, USA
Tetramorium hispidum, along with its sister species T. spinosum, presents an unsolved evolutionary mystery of the North American ant fauna. Tetramorium, an ubiquitous and extraordinarily diverse genus in Africa and Asia, is nearly absent in the Americas.  These two species, both confined to the desert Southwest, are the only native Tetramorium in the hemisphere.  When and how the ancestor of these ants arrived is not known.

Tucson, Arizona, USA
Pogonomyrmex pima workers carrying excavated soil out of the nest.

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