Leptomyrmex erythrocephalus (Harrietville, Victoria, Australia)
What is my favorite ant?
Turtle ants, of course.
Wait! No. Army ants! I think. Or, maybe leafcutters. This is a hard question.
Regardless of my paralyzing myrmecological indecision, one ant that always lurks near the top of my favorites list is Leptomyrmex, the charmingly slender spider ant of Australia and New Guinea. I was fortunate to cross paths with several species (L. unicolor, L. ruficeps, and L. erythrocephalus) during my recent visit to Australia. Check out the photos here:
Leptomyrmex, among ants, is extraordinarily difficult to photograph. They are fast, they are shy, and their long appendages make the choice of focal point even more important than usual. I spent a great deal of time getting just 9 workable new photos. I hope you enjoy them.
A personal weblog by Illinois-based biologist and photographer Alex Wild.
What size are these ants and what was your photo approach given fast ants outdoors? Thanks.
Leptomyrmex are pretty large- their bodies are comperable to many temperate zone Carpenter ants, but with much longer appendages. See the scale bars here, for example: http://www.antweb.org/bigPicture.do?name=casent0011746&shot=p&number=1
To photograph these ants outdoors, I had very little luck with general foragers. Instead, I found it easier to stake out a nest.
I thought spider ants were a tropical ants. But to fine them at Harrietville is interesting Harriertville gets snow in the winter months & how they survive during the winter months interesting.
The Leptomyrmex erythrocephalus remind me of Myrmecocystus mendax. Leptomyrmex, what an interesting clade!
Very lovely work, particularly with the replete workers.