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Crematogaster acrobat ants use their stingers in defense, but they don't pierce the integument of their opponents. Rather, the stinger serves as a brush for smearing defensive chemicals on their adversaries. Here, a worker defends a food bait against an intruding Pheidole. Kibale forest, Uganda
Crematogaster acrobat ants use their stingers in defense, but they don't pierce the integument of their opponents. Rather, the stinger serves as a brush for smearing defensive chemicals on their adversaries. Here, a worker defends a food bait against an intruding Pheidole. Kibale forest, Uganda
When I pick up a Pachycondyla (Bothroponera) worker with forceps she emits a defensive stream of foam from her venom gland. (Also, it turns out she stings, too!) Koh Kong Province, Cambodia (laboratory colony at the University of Illinois)
Pachycondyla (Bothroponera) create impressive amounts of defensive foam when threatened. Koh Kong Province, Cambodia (laboratory colony at the University of Illinois)
The quantity of defensive foam produced by a single Pachycondyla (Bothroponera) sp. ant is surprisingly large. Koh Kong Province, Cambodia (laboratory colony at the University of Illinois)
When threatened, some species of Pachycondyla (Bothroponera) create a defensive foam from their venom gland. Koh Kong Province, Cambodia (laboratory colony at the University of Illinois)
When threatened, some species of Pachycondyla (Bothroponera) create a defensive foam from their venom gland. The foam is produced quickly and in impressive quantities, sometimes forming long chains of single bubbles. Here, I provoked the behavior by picking up a worker with forceps. Koh Kong Province, Cambodia (laboratory colony at the University of Illinois)
Pachycondyla (Bothroponera) leaving a trail of defensive foam. Koh Kong Province, Cambodia (laboratory colony at the University of Illinois)
Her nest disturbed by the photographer, a Solenopsis thief ant worker exudes a droplet of venom on her stinger and waves it in the air. This behavior is known as "gaster-flagging". Morretes, Paraná, Brazil
Crematogaster acrobat ants use their stingers in defense, but they don't pierce the integument of their opponents. Rather, the stinger serves as a brush for smearing defensive chemicals on their adversaries. Here, a worker defends a food bait against an intruding Pheidole.

Kibale forest, Uganda
Crematogaster acrobat ants use their stingers in defense, but they don't pierce the integument of their opponents. Rather, the stinger serves as a brush for smearing defensive chemicals on their adversaries. Here, a worker defends a food bait against an intruding Pheidole. Kibale forest, Uganda
Crematogaster acrobat ants use their stingers in defense, but they don't pierce the integument of their opponents. Rather, the stinger serves as a brush for smearing defensive chemicals on their adversaries. Here, a worker defends a food bait against an intruding Pheidole.

Kibale forest, Uganda
See photo in original gallery.
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all images and text © Alex Wild 2001-2013