This young acacia ant queen has found a willing partner: a sapling with vacant thorns for her nest and abundant, nutritious beltian bodies to feed her larvae. Armenia, Cayo District, Belize.
In exchange for protection, swollen-thorn Acacia trees provide Pseudomyrmex ants with food and shelter. Here an ant harvests a protein-rich food body that will be fed to the ants' larvae. Chiriqui, Panama.
An acacia ant harvests Beltian bodies on an Acacia tree. These bodies form the primary food source for the ants' larvae. Chiriqui, Panama