Formica rubicunda slave-raiding ant.

Gray Summit, Missouri, USA
Ants are meticulously clean animals. This Formica densiventris worker grooms her foreleg by passing it through brushes in her mouthparts.

Truckee, California, USA
Camponotus discolor major worker.

Urbana, Illinois, USA
Camponotus chromaiodes. This species is similar to the common black carpenter ant C. pennsylvanicus but can be recognized by the red coloration around the waist.

Clinton Lake State Recreation Area, Illinois, USA
Camponotus nearcticus major worker

Urbana, Illinois, USA
Formica obscuriventris

South Bristol, New York, USA
Formica obscuriventris

South Bristol, New York, USA
Formica aserva, worker.

California, USA
Formica integroides workers tending pine aphids.  The ants obtain a large portion of their energy from symbiotic relationships with hemipterans such as these aphids.

Sagehen Creek, California, USA
Formica rubicunda slave-raiding ant.

Gray Summit, Missouri, USA
Formica rubicunda slave-raiding ant.

Gray Summit, Missouri, USA
Formica rubicunda slave-raiding ant.

Gray Summit, Missouri, USA
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all images and text © Alex Wild 2001-2013