Odontomachus assiniensis

St. Lucia, KZN, South Africa

Odontomachus assiniensis

The odd, alien-shaped head of a trap-jaw ant serves to house the set of muscles and latches that operate the ant's mandibular trap. St. Lucia, KZN, South Africa

Odontomachus assiniensis

St. Lucia, KZN, South Africa

Odontomachus bauri

A trap-jaw worker with a young cricket it has caught. La Selva, Heredia, Costa Rica

Odontomachus bauri

Milliseconds ahead of a mandible strike, a tropical trap-jaw ant closes in on its cricket prey. La Selva, Heredia, Costa Rica

Odontomachus bauri

La Selva, Heredia, Costa Rica

Odontomachus bauri

Trap-jaw ants are normally thought of as predators, but they also tend honeydew-producing insects. Gamboa, Panama

Odontomachus bauri

With peak velocities over 50 meters per second, the mandibles of this species have among the fastest recorded movements in the biological world La Selva, Heredia, Costa Rica

Odontomachus bauri

Although trap-jaw ants have a reputation as fearsome predators with a painful sting, workers away from the nest are quite skittish. This one hides from the photographer under a leaf. El Yunque, Puerto Rico..

Odontomachus bauri

Odontomachus bauri with a young cricket it has caught. La Selva, Heredia, Costa Rica

Odontomachus bauri

A trap-jaw ant moves a cocoon to safety after the photographer disturbed her nest. El Yunque, Puerto Rico.

Odontomachus bauri

Trap-jaw ants showing some of the different mandible positions. La Selva, Heredia, Costa Rica

Odontomachus bauri

A trap-jaw ant worker has captured an earthworm and is carrying it home. Gamboa, Panama

Odontomachus brunneus

Odontomachus brunneus is the common trap-jaw ant along the gulf coast of the southern United States. Elsanor, Alabama, USA

Odontomachus brunneus

The trap-jaw held open. Note the trigger hairs that protrude from the front of the mandibles. Elsanor, Alabama, USA

Odontomachus brunneus

Inside the brood nest, a trap-jaw ant larva feeds on the remains of a termite. Unlike adult ants, larvae can consume solid food. Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA

Odontomachus brunneus

Odontomachus brunneus is the common trap-jaw ant along the gulf coast of the southern United States. Elsanor, Alabama, USA

Odontomachus cephalotes

Portrait of an Australian trap-jaw ant. Queensland, Australia.

Odontomachus cephalotes

Portrait of a trap-jaw ant. Queensland, Australia.

Odontomachus cephalotes

Cape York Peninsula, Queensland, Australia

Odontomachus cephalotes

An Australian trap-jaw ant with her mandibles in an intermediate position. Queensland, Australia.

Odontomachus chelifer

Odontomachus chelifer is the largest trap-jaw ant species in South America. Aragua, Venezuela

Odontomachus chelifer

Odontomachus chelifer is the largest trap-jaw ant species in South America. Aragua, Venezuela

Odontomachus chelifer

Odontomachus chelifer is the largest trap-jaw ant species in South America. Aragua, Venezuela