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Ochetellus sp.
Victoria, Australia

photograph © Alex Wild 2005

Adult worker ants tend to their sister larvae in an Ochetellus nest.  The dark areas inside the larvae are concentrated pellets of food.  Ant larvae accumulate food without defecating throughout their development, voiding their gut contents only when they molt into the non-feeding pupal stage.

 
Australia, VIC: Nhill
36º20.384'S 141º38.709'E, 130m, 10.x.2005
Riparian forest, nest under bark.

This image is copyrighted by the photographer and cannot be used without permission. To obtain permission to use this image, please email Alex Wild. (alwild (at) myrmecos.net).  Most of the photographs on myrmecos.net are reduced from their original size and compressed for more efficient web transmission.  In some cases, higher quality versions are available.

This image was captured with a Canon EOS D60, using a Canon 65/2.8 MPE 1-5x Macro lens.