expose-the-light:

Amazing Ants in 3-D

1. Ponera pennsylvanica

This one may look familiar — if you look through ants through a microscope, anyway. This ant is found throughout the American midwest and east, and it’s abundant wherever there is moist soil. It is found on lawns, gardens, fields, thickets and other grassy areas.

In grasslands, P. pennsylvanica nests in the root-zone of sedges or grasses. In woodland, it nests in soil, in soft, rotten wood, and often in old acorns.

2. Dorylus kohli

This shiny black ant is found throughout Africa, India, southeast Asia and Indonesia. This one came from Ivory Coast.

3. Cephalotes grandinosus

This ant is found in Costa Rica, Brazil and Bolivia and appears to be rare in Costa Rica. It is found in the rainforest canopy and understory.

4. Acanthomyrmex concavus

This species of ant is found on the island of Borneo and is polymorphous: there’s a large-headed “major” form, seen here, and a “minor” form.