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Green tree ants (Oecophylla smaragdina) dismantle a Pheidole that wandered into their territory. Cape York Peninsula, Queenland, Australia
Myrmecia pilosula jack-jumper ants from neighboring nests, engaged in battle. Tower Hill, Victoria, Australia
Pogonomyrmex maricopa and Aphaenogaster albisetosa workers, fighting. Resources are scarce in the desert and competition among ants is fierce, leading to frequent conflicts. Green Valley, Arizona, USA
Winter leaf drop reveals a number of old Oecophylla smaragdina green tree ant nests. The ants have moved on, but the signs of their presence remain. Tree ants are polydomous, so the nests likely all belonged to a single colony. Cape York Peninsula, Queensland, Australia
Green tree ants (Oecophylla smaragdina) dismantle a Pheidole that wandered into their territory. Cape York Peninsula, Queenland, Australia
Oecophylla longinoda, the tailor ant, is fiercely territorial. Here they have pinned down a Polyrhachis intruder that has stumbled onto their tree. St. Lucia, KZN, South Africa
A large Podomyrma gratiosa tree ant attacks a column of smaller Crematogaster workers that pass too close to her nest. The Crematogaster fight back, and even though the large size and heavy armor of the Podomyrma allow it a one-on-one advantage, the superior numbers of Crematogaster give the smaller ants the edge in this fight. Naracoorte, South Australia
Two harvester ants (Pogonomyrmex rugosus) from adjacent nests engaging in ritual warfare, pushing in a display of force but not actually harming each other. It is thought that colonies use these mock battles to gather information about their neighbors. Knowledge about the strength of competing colonies helps ants set territorial borders without loss of life. Tucson, Arizona, USA
Pogonomyrmex maricopa and Aphaenogaster albisetosa workers, fighting. Resources are scarce in the desert and competition among ants is fierce, leading to frequent conflicts. Green Valley, Arizona, USA
Myrmecia pilosula jack-jumper ants from neighboring nests, engaged in battle.

Tower Hill, Victoria, Australia
Myrmecia pilosula jack-jumper ants from neighboring nests, engaged in battle. Tower Hill, Victoria, Australia
Myrmecia pilosula jack-jumper ants from neighboring nests, engaged in battle.

Tower Hill, Victoria, Australia
See photo in original gallery.
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all images and text © Alex Wild 2001-2013