Portrait of Cephalotes clypeatus, the golden turtle ant. This image is a composite of about 20 photographs taken at different focal depths and digitally combined.

Mbaracayú forest reserve, Paraguay
A green tree ant guard lets the photographer know not to approach any closer... ... OR ELSE.

Cape Tribulation, Queensland, Australia
A male straight-snouted weevil (Brentidae) silhouetted against a leaf in an Australian rain forest.

Cape Tribulation, Queensland, Australia
A green tree ant guard lets the photographer know not to approach any closer... ... OR ELSE.

Cape Tribulation, Queensland, Australia
Caligo owl butterfly.

Misahuallí, Napo, Ecuador
Plochionocerus rove beetle

Jatun Sacha reserve, Napo, Ecuador
Odontomachus turneri, northern trap-jaw ant.

Darwin, Northern Territories, Australia
Odontomachus turneri, northern trap-jaw ant.

Darwin, Northern Territories, Australia
The beautiful Rhytidoponera purpurea is found in the rainforests of northern Australia and New Guinea.  It is one of many species whose distribution spans both islands, suggesting a recent land connection across the Torres straight.

Cape Tribulation, Queensland, Australia
Caligo owl butterfly.

Misahuallí, Napo, Ecuador
Caligo owl butterfly.

Misahuallí, Napo, Ecuador
Caligo owl butterfly.

Misahuallí, Napo, Ecuador
See photo in original gallery.
all images and text © Alex Wild 2001-2013