Myrmecologists often start new laboratory colonies from young mated queens. These Solenopsis molesta thief ant queens were collected after a midsummer mating flight and are now raising their first brood.

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, USA
Myrmecologists often start new laboratory colonies from young mated queens. These Solenopsis molesta thief ant queens were collected after a midsummer mating flight and are now raising their first brood.

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, USA
Myrmecologists often start new laboratory colonies from young mated queens. These Solenopsis molesta thief ant queens were collected after a midsummer mating flight and are now raising their first brood.

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, USA
Myrmecologists often start new laboratory colonies from young mated queens. These Solenopsis molesta thief ant queens were collected after a midsummer mating flight and are now raising their first brood.

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, USA
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all images and text © Alex Wild 2001-2013