Ant Insights Logo

This is one of my favourite shots of what happens when N.esenbeckii workers manage to isolate an Atta major. Notice that the N.esenbeckii worker locked mandible-to-mandible with the Atta major has her gaster curled forward and is stinging the leaf-cutting ant in the membranes and sutures around the antennal sockets and mouth-parts. If an N.esenbeckii worker manages to connect with her sting, an Atta major will almost certainly die and can be seen to be under the effects of the army ant venom (i.e. clumsy, unsteady movements and keeling over) in just a few minutes.

Image copyright Scott Powell. Image may not be used for any purpose without permission. Permission requests should be sent to Scott Powell. A higher resolution version of this image is available.