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Acromyrmex versicolor - desert leafcutter ants
Arizona, USA

photograph © Alex Wild 2008

As dusk falls, the desert leafcutter ants become active.  The ants do not eat the leaves they carry.  Rather, they feed them to an edible fungus cultivated in underground chambers.

 
USA AZ Pima Co.: Tucson
32º14.24'N 110º56.44'W 750m. iii.2008
Urban lot, trail of ants.


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 20D, using a Canon MP-E 65mm 1-5x macro lens.