myrmecos.net

Mycetarotes sp.
Argentina

photograph © Alex Wild 2007

The relatively long antennae and large eyes of this male ant help him to locate queens during mating flights outside the nest.  Winged males and queens serve as a reminder of the wasp ancestry of ants.

 
Argentina: Parque Nacional Iguazu.
Laboratory colony at the University of Texas.

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.