Polyergus lucidus

East Brooklyn, Illinois, USA

Formica incerta & its parasite, Polyergus lucidus

Formica incerta field ant (left) with a social parasite, the kidnapper ant Polyergus lucidus. East Brooklyn, Illinois, USA

Polyergus mexicanus

Polyergus mexicanus kidnapper ant with its Formica argentea host. Notice the difference in mandible shape in the two species- the sharp tines in the slave-raider for carrying pilfered pupae, and the broad working mandibles in the host. Sagehen Creek, California, USA

Polyergus mexicanus

A queen Polyergus mexicanus with a host Formica argentea worker. Sagehen Creek, California, USA

Formica argentea & Polyergus mexicanus

Sagehen Creek, California, USA

Polyergus mexicanus

A dulotic colony of the kidnapper ant Polyergus mexicanus and its host, the silver field ant Formica argentea. California, USA

Polyergus mexicanus

A Polyergus nest. Note the presence of both host (black) and parasite (red) workers. Urbana, Illinois, USA

Polyergus mexicanus

The dense front of a raiding party advances around the corner of an urban house. These spectacular ants remain common in older neighborhoods around the midwestern United States. Urbana, Illinois, USA.

Polyergus mexicanus

An afternoon raiding party ascends the front steps. Urbana, Illinois, USA.

Polyergus mexicanus

Returning from a successful raid with a captured cocoon of the host species, Formica subsericea. Urbana, Illinois, USA

Polyergus mexicanus

Raiding workers return from a successful mission with captured pupae of the host species, Formica subsericea. Urbana, Illinois, USA

Polyergus mexicanus

Polyergus mexicanus workers return from a successful raid with captured pupae of the host species, Formica subsericea. Urbana, Illinois, USA

Polyergus mexicanus

Nests of parasitic Polyergus mexicanus ants are externally indistinguishable from regular, non-parasitized colonies of the host species Formica subsericea. Until late afternoon, that is, when the large red ants emerge for a raid. Urbana, Illinois, USA

Polyergus mexicanus

Polyergus mexicanus and its host, Formica subsericea. Urbana, Illinois, USA

Polyergus mexicanus

At the entrance of a Polyergus mexicanus kidnapper ant colony, a Formica subsericea worker carries excavated soil from the nest. The parasitic Polyergus workers do not perform those sorts of tasks. Urbana, Illinois, USA

Polyergus mexicanus

Polyergus mexicanus is a common parasite of the field ant Formica subsericea in central North America. Champaign, Illinois, USA

Polyergus mexicanus

Polyergus mexicanus is a common parasite of the field ant Formica subsericea in central North America. Champaign, Illinois, USA

Polyergus mexicanus

Polyergus mexicanus is a common parasite of the field ant Formica subsericea in central North America. Champaign, Illinois, USA

Polyergus mexicanus

Polyergus mexicanus slave-raiding ant carrying a Formica field ant pupa. Champaign, Illinois, USA

Polyergus mexicanus

Polyergus mexicanus is a common parasite of the field ant Formica subsericea in central North America. Champaign, Illinois, USA

Polyergus montivagus

Champaign, Illinois, USA

Polyergus montivagus

Polyergus montivagus is a social parasite of Formica pallidefulva. Champaign, Illinois, USA

Polyergus montivagus

Champaign, Illinois, USA