Aenictus sp.
Portrait of an army ant male showing the characteristic "sausage-fly" appearance. Kibale Forest, Uganda
Aenictus aratus
A raid of Aenictus aratus in an Australian rain forest. Cape Tribulation, Queensland, Australia
Aenictus laeviceps
Portrait of an army ant worker. Danum Valley Field Centre, Sabah Borneo
A trail of Asian army ants (Aenictus laeviceps). Danum Valley Field Centre, Sabah Borneo
Dorylus
Dorylus driver ants. Kibale Forest, Uganda
A Dorylus driver ant soldier stands guard over a foraging column. Kibale Forest, Uganda
A raiding party of Eciton burchellii army ants streams home towards the bivuoac while a soldier stands guard. Maquipucuna Reserve, Pichincha, Ecuador
Eciton hamatum
Eciton hamatum army ant soldier. This portrait is a composite of 32 photographs taken at different focal depths and stacked to produce an artificially sharp image. Armenia, Belize
Army ant soldier. The odd, globular eyes of army ants are the evolutionary result of resuscitating a vestigial organ inherited from blind ancestors. Jatun Sacha reserve, Napo, Ecuador
Eciton burchellii
An Eciton burchellii soldier brandishes her hooked mandibles. These unwieldy weapons are designed to grab vertebrate predators and deter them from stealing the army ants' own catch. Jatun Sacha reserve, Napo, Ecuador
A column of Eciton rapax, the largest Eciton species, marches across the Amazonian forest floor. Jatun Sacha reserve, Napo, Ecuador
Eciton hamatum workers return from a successful raid bearing captured ant brood. Jatun Sacha reserve, Napo, Ecuador
Eciton burchellii bivouac. Maquipucuna reserve, Pichincha, Ecuador
Eciton rapax
Eciton rapax worker carrying prey. Jatun Sacha reserve, Napo, Ecuador
Eciton burchellii workers returning from a raid. Maquipucuna reserve, Pichincha, Ecuador
A soldier Eciton burchellii army ant. The ice-tong shaped mandibles defend the colony against vertebrate predators. Captive colony at the California Academy of Sciences
Eciton burchelli army ants can form living bridges with their bodies. Captive colony at the California Academy of Sciences
Army ants such as these Eciton are important predators in many tropical ecosystems. Colonies have worker ants of different sizes that specialize in different tasks. Captive colony at the California Academy of Sciences
Eciton burchellii army ants cluster around a cricket they have caught. Captive colony at the California Academy of Sciences
Ecitoneciton burchellieciton burchelliiecitoninaeformicidaehymenopterasocial insectsant bridgesuperorganismworker antsarmy antsarmy antpredatorscarnivorestropical insectsinsectsgroup predationecologybehavior
