Pheidole minor workers spread-eagle a Tetramorium (aculeatum - group) forager that has strayed into their territory.

Kibale forest, Uganda
Pheidole minor workers spread-eagle a Tetramorium (aculeatum - group) forager that has strayed into their territory.

Kibale forest, Uganda
Pheidole minor workers spread-eagle a Tetramorium (aculeatum - group) forager that has strayed into their territory.

Kibale forest, Uganda
Camponotus textor workers from different colonies fight at a territorial boundary.

Icononzo, Tolima, Colombia
It looks like an old-fashioned mugging, but this photo shows a Linepithema iniquum scout being attacked after wandering into an orchid plant occupied by another colony of the same species.

Maquipucuna reserve, Pichincha, Ecuador
As neighboring Tetramorium pavement ant colonies grow into each others' territories, they test their strength in extended battles.

Champaign, Illinois, USA
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
Podomyrma gratiosa fighting with Crematogaster.

Naracoorte, South Australia
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
It looks like an old-fashioned mugging, but this photo shows a Linepithema iniquum scout being attacked after wandering into an orchid plant occupied by another colony of the same species.

Maquipucuna reserve, Pichincha, Ecuador
It looks like an old-fashioned mugging, but this photo shows a Linepithema iniquum scout being attacked after wandering into an orchid plant occupied by another colony of the same species.

Maquipucuna reserve, Pichincha, Ecuador
It looks like an old-fashioned mugging, but this photo shows a Linepithema iniquum scout being attacked after wandering into an orchid plant occupied by another colony of the same species.

Maquipucuna reserve, Pichincha, Ecuador
See photo in original gallery.
all images and text © Alex Wild 2001-2013