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Alexander Dudley | all galleries >> Australian Invertebrates >> Insects >> Bees, wasps and ants. > Polyrachis ammon, Ant carrying ant
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07-APR-2013 İAlexander Dudley 2913

Polyrachis ammon, Ant carrying ant

Hawkesbury Heights NSW

This seems to be a fairly common activity with this species of ant, but they are very difficult to photograph, as the carrying ant it
definitely on a mission and doesn't stop. The first time I saw this activity I thought I was looking at an ant with a huge mis-shapen
head, so I pinned it gently with a stick to have a closer look, whereupon it released its cargo. The released ant appeared to be
completely disorientated, and wandered in halting circles on the ant trail, "conversing" with other ants via flicking antennae, until
after a longer conversation it folded itself up and was carried off once again. This has left me insanely curious about the whole
ant-carrying business.

Nikon D300 ,Nikkor 60mm f/2.8D AF Micro
1/250s f/18.0 at 60.0mm iso100 full exif

other sizes: small medium large original auto
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