The orange balls in the Reticulitermes nest are a fungus that assumes the size, texture, and chemical signature of termite eggs. Termites, being blind, can't tell the difference and care for the fungus as if they were their own eggs. 

Bell Smith Springs, Illinois, USA
Strumigenys rogeri miniature trap-jaw ant foraging in a rotting log.

Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA
Strumigenys rogeri worker, foraging in the leaf litter.

Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA
Strumigenys rogeri prowls in the leaf litter of of Florida forest.

Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA
Linepithema micans running through tunnels in their underground nest.

Tafí del Valle, Tucumán, Argentina
Strumigenys rogeri prowls in the leaf litter of of Florida forest.

Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA
Neivamyrmex army ants are specialist predators of the brood of other ant species. Here, N. californicus raid the brood nest of the pavement ant Tetramorium caespitum. 

California, USA
Neivamyrmex army ants are specialist predators of the brood of other ant species. Here, N. californicus raid the brood nest of the pavement ant Tetramorium caespitum. 

California, USA
Neivamyrmex californicus army ants are specialist predators of the brood of other ant species. Here worker army ants attack a defending Tetramorium worker as others plunder the Tetramorium brood. 

California, USA
Strumigenys rogeri miniature trap-jaw ant foraging in a rotting log.

Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA
Strumigenys rogeri miniature trap-jaw ant foraging in a rotting log.

Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA
Strumigenys rogeri miniature trap-jaw ant foraging in a rotting log.

Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA
See photo in original gallery.
all images and text © Alex Wild 2001-2013