Azteca alfari
The hollow stem of a Cecropia ant-plant is divided into chambers to house fierce Azteca alfari ants. Inside, the ants raise their brood and tend to mealybugs. Gamboa, Panama
Cecropia ants sharing a moment... Gamboa, Panama
A worker ant guarding her Cecropia host tree. Gamboa, Panama
In a small chamber in the heart of a Cecropia sapling, a young Azteca alfari queen hunkers down to start a new ant colony. Icononzo, Tolima, Colombia
Azteca alfari Cecropia ants do not tolerate other species on their host tree. When intruders are encountered, the Azteca patrollers work together to pin them down. Interestingly, the offending insects aren't always killed. This Camponotus was simply dragged to the edge of the plant and dropped. Gamboa, Panama
The hollow stem of a Cecropia tree houses a colony of fierce Azteca alfari ants. Here, a worker walks across a pile of maturing pupae. Gamboa, Panama
An Azteca alfari worker ant guards the nest entrance. Gamboa, Panama
Azteca alfari Cecropia ants guard their tree zealously against intruders. Working together, they surround and immobilize their opponents such as this trap-jaw ant by pinning down their appendages. Gamboa, Panama
The hollow stem of a Cecropia tree houses a colony of fierce Azteca alfari ants. Here, a worker drags a larva to safety after the photographer disturbs the nest. Gamboa, Panama
The hollow stem of a Cecropia tree houses a colony of fierce Azteca alfari ants. Here, a worker carries a larva to safety after the photographer disturbs the nest. Note the mealybugs at lower-left, which the ants tend for honeydew. Gamboa, Panama Gamboa, Panama
Azteca alfari Gamboa, Panama
The hollow stem of a Cecropia tree houses a colony of fierce Azteca alfari ants. Gamboa, Panama
Azteca alfari at the nest entrance. Gamboa, Panama
Food bodies sprout from the base of a Cecropia leaf. These feed the plant's protective Azteca ants. Gamboa, Panama
Azteca constructor
Trees in the genus Cecropia are protected by colonies of fierce Azteca ants that live in the hollow stems. Armenia, Cayo District, Belize.
Splitting open the hollow trunk of a Cecropia tree reveals carton galleries constructed by symbiotic Azteca ants. These galleries are empty, as the colony has moved upwards towards the tips of the branches. Armenia, Cayo District, Belize.
A Cecropia ant nest entrance. Armenia, Cayo District, Belize.
Ant Garden
Several species of arboreal plants live together in an "ant garden" tended by fierce Azteca ants. Barton Creek, Cayo District, Belize.
Several species of arboreal plants, including orchids, bromeliads, and cacti, live together in an "ant garden" tended by fierce Azteca ants. The ants construct a carton matrix to house the plants' roots and their own brood. Barton Creek, Cayo District, Belize.
Azteca gnava
Worker ants rush out to defend their colony after the photographer disturbed their ant garden nest. Azteca is a notoriously pugnacious ant genus. Barton Creek, Cayo District, Belize.
Roots of an ant-garden orchid grow into the carton matrix created by Azteca ants. Barton Creek, Cayo District, Belize.
