The greenheaded ant, Rhytidoponera metallica is capable of inflicting a very painful sting.

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Rhytidoponera ants cooperate to carry a dead caterpillar back to their nest.

Wilson's Promontory National Park, Victoria, Australia
Ants will not often consume dead ants of their own species, but they may readily take ant carcasses of other species.  Here a Rhytidoponera worker has found the carcass of a large Camponotus and is dragging it back to her nest where it will be fed to hungry larvae.

Yandoit, Victoria, Australia
The green-headed ant Rhytidoponera metallica is a common soil-nesting ant in urban areas throughout Australia. 

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Portrait of an older Rhytidoponera metallica worker.  This ant is missing some leg and antennal segments, perhaps a result of fights with neighboring ant nests.

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
The greenheaded ant, Rhytidoponera metallica is capable of inflicting a very painful sting.

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Ants will not often consume dead ants of their own species, but they may readily take ant carcasses of other species.  Here a Rhytidoponera worker has found the carcass of a large Camponotus and is dragging it back to her nest where it will be fed to hungry larvae.

Yandoit, Victoria, Australia
Rhytidoponera ants cooperate to carry a dead caterpillar back to their nest.

Wilson's Promontory National Park, Victoria, Australia
The green-headed ant Rhytidoponera metallica is a common soil-nesting ant in urban areas throughout Australia. 

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
The greenheaded ant, Rhytidoponera metallica is capable of inflicting a very painful sting.

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
The greenheaded ant, Rhytidoponera metallica is capable of inflicting a very painful sting.

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
The greenheaded ant, Rhytidoponera metallica is capable of inflicting a very painful sting.

Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
See photo in original gallery.
all images and text © Alex Wild 2001-2013