Camponotus festinatus

A major worker of the nocturnal sugar ant, Camponotus festinatus. Brackenridge Field Laboratory, Austin, Texas, USA.

Camponotus festinatus

Brackenridge Field Laboratory, Austin, Texas, USA.

Eumeninae

A potter wasp scoops up mud for her nest. Brackenridge Field Laboratory, Austin, Texas, USA.

Nylanderia sp.

An ant in the Nylanderia vividula/terricola species complex tends aphids for honeydew. Brackenridge Field Laboratory, Austin, Texas, USA.

Nylanderia sp.

An ant in the Nylanderia vividula/terricola species complex tends aphids for honeydew. Brackenridge Field Laboratory, Austin, Texas, USA.

Strumigenys silvestrii

When the photographer uncovers their nest, miniature trap-jaw ant workers scramble to carry brood to safety. Brackenridge Field Laboratory, Austin, Texas, USA

Strumigenys silvestrii

This South American trap-jaw ant species was accidentally imported to North America where it is now widespread- though not particularly conspicuous- in warmer regions. Brackenridge Field Laboratory, Austin, Texas, USA.

Strumigenys silvestrii

This South American trap-jaw ant species was accidentally imported to North America where it is now widespread- though not particularly conspicuous- in warmer regions of the continent. Brackenridge Field Laboratory, Austin, Texas, USA.

Psorophora ferox

A female white-footed woods mosquito delivers a painful bite to the photographer's arm. Brackenridge Field Laboratory, Austin, Texas, USA.

Polistes metricus

A paper wasp on her nest. Brackenridge Field Laboratory, Austin, Texas, USA.

Polistes metricus

Paper wasps. Brackenridge Field Laboratory, Austin, Texas, USA.

Polistes metricus

Brackenridge Field Laboratory, Austin, Texas, USA.

Solenopsis invicta

A young fire ant queen prepares for her mating flight. Brackenridge Field Laboratory, Austin, Texas, USA.

Solenopsis invicta

Winged fire ant females scale vegetation prior to launching themselves on a late spring mating flight. Brackenridge Field Laboratory, Austin, Texas, USA.

Solenopsis invicta

A heavy overnight rain induces a fire ant mating flight the following day. Here a young winged female climbs a stalk of grass for an easier takeoff. Brackenridge Field Laboratory, Austin, Texas, USA.

Crematogaster rectinota

Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa.

Polyrhachis cubaensis

A labeling error in 1862 left this beautiful African species with a Caribbean name. St. Lucia, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Camponotus texanus

The blocky head of a Texas Carpenter Ant major worker houses muscles to operate the powerful, wood-cutting mandibles. Brackenridge Field Laboratory, Texas, USA.

Eumenes fraternus

A mating pair of potter wasps. Brackenridge Field Laboratory, Texas, USA.

Gasteracantha cancriformis

A spinybacked orb weaver feeds on an insect she has caught. Brackenridge Field Laboratory, Texas, USA.

Polyergus topoffi

This subtropical Polyergus is a predominantly Mexican ant that attacks the southernmost Formica species. It was named by James Trager in honor of Howard Topoff, who extensively documented its behavior. Chiricahua mountains, Arizona, USA.

Mecaphesa

A young crab spider on American basket flower. Stengl Lost Pines Biological Station, Texas. USA.

Pleuropasta mirabilis

Although the mimicry is not easily apparent when resting, the blister beetle Pleuropasta mirabilis when running forwards resembles a painfully-stinging red harvester ant dragging a seed backwards. Anza Borrego, California, USA.

Nemognatha

Blister beetles in the genus Nemognatha have elongated mouthparts for sipping nectar. This individual was photographed in an American basket flower, Centaurea americana. Stengl Lost Pines Biological Station, Texas, USA.

Pogonomyrmex subdentatus & Linepithema humile

A native harvester ant fights with introduced Argentine ants (Linepithema humile) in northern California. Davis, California, USA.

Hemipepsis ustulata

Portrait of a tarantula hawk wasp. Anza Borrego, California, USA.

Eurybunus

Portrait of a desert harvestman. Anza Borrego, California, USA.

Temnothorax neomexicanus

Chiricahua Mountains, Arizona, USA.

Nylanderia austroccidua

Chiricahua Mountains, Arizona, USA.

Cysteodemus armatus

The inflated beetle Cysteodemus is one of the most recognizeable insects of the southwestern deserts. Larvae are parasites of soil-nesting bees. Anza Borrego, California, USA.

Cysteodemus armatus

The inflated beetle Cysteodemus is one of the most recognizeable insects of the southwestern deserts. Larvae are parasites of soil-nesting bees. Anza Borrego, California, USA.

Solifugae

An eremobatid windscorpion. Anza Borrego, California, USA.

Solenopsis xyloni

Some of the native North American fire ants are more granivorous than the pesty imported species. Here, a southern fire ant worker carries a seed back to her nest. Anza Borrego, California, USA.

Solifugae

Focus-stacked portrait of an eremobatid wind scorpion. Anza Borrego, California, USA.

Messor pergandei

This black harvester ant carries an old battle ornament on her antennae: a Solenopsis xyloni fire ant head capsule. Presumably the fire ant was killed in a fight, but her mandibles had latched so firmly to her opponent that it remains attached even as the rest of her body has fallen away. Anza Borrego, California, USA.

Pheidole rugulosa

Mojave Desert, California, USA.

Nylanderia hystrix

Mojave Desert, California, USA.

Pheidole yaqui

Anza Borrego, California, USA.