Hemisphaerota cyanea- Palmetto Tortoise Beetle- mating pair.

Gainesville, 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
Prenolepis imparis is the first ant to hold mating flights every year in temperate North America. Alates wait out the winter and emerge on the first warm spring days. This photo was taken in early March.

Urbana, Illinois, USA
Prenolepis imparis is the first ant to hold mating flights every year in temperate North America. Alates wait out the winter and emerge on the first warm spring days. This photo was taken in early March.

Urbana, Illinois, USA
Prenolepis imparis is the first ant to hold mating flights every year in temperate North America. Alates wait out the winter and emerge on the first warm spring days. This photo was taken in early March.

Urbana, Illinois, USA
Prenolepis imparis is the first ant to hold mating flights every year in temperate North America. Alates wait out the winter and emerge on the first warm spring days. This photo was taken in early March.

Urbana, Illinois, USA
Prenolepis imparis is the first ant to hold mating flights every year in temperate North America. Alates wait out the winter and emerge on the first warm spring days. This photo was taken in early March.

Urbana, Illinois, USA
A drone egg sits in the bottom of a cell.
Prenolepis imparis is the first ant to hold mating flights every year in temperate North America. Alates wait out the winter and emerge on the first warm spring days. This photo was taken in early March.

Urbana, Illinois, USA
Prenolepis imparis is the first ant to hold mating flights every year in temperate North America. Alates wait out the winter and emerge on the first warm spring days. This photo was taken in early March.

Urbana, Illinois, USA
Prenolepis imparis is the first ant to hold mating flights every year in temperate North America. Alates wait out the winter and emerge on the first warm spring days. This photo was taken in early March.

Urbana, Illinois, USA
See photo in original gallery.
all images and text © Alex Wild 2001-2013