Describes the physical characteristics, behavior, and habits of ants and discusses their ecological importance.

Depicts an army of ants as it parades through the rain forest in search of a meal.

Cooperative predators, army ants in unison can attack stoutly defended social insect colonies and can hunt down and devour insects much larger than themselves. Yet from folktales to fieldnotes, the image of army ants has too often magnified their aggression and ignored their magnificent capacity for social cooperation. A veteran of thirty years of research on army ants in Africa, Malaysia, Australia, Mexico, and Trinidad, William H. Gotwald, Jr., offers the first comprehensive account of their behavioral ecology and evolution.

Intrepid international explorer, biologist, and photographer Mark W. Moffett, "the Indiana Jones of entomology," takes us around the globe on a strange and colorful journey in search of the hidden world of ants. In tales from Nigeria, Indonesia, the Amazon, Australia, California, and elsewhere, Moffett recounts his entomological exploits and provides fascinating details on how ants live and how they dominate their ecosystems through strikingly human behaviors, yet at a different scale and a faster tempo. Moffett’s spectacular close-up photographs shrink us down to size, so that we can observe ants in familiar roles; warriors, builders, big-game hunters, and slave owners. We find them creating marketplaces and assembly lines and dealing with issues we think of as uniquely human—including hygiene, recycling, and warfare. Adventures among Ants introduces some of the world’s most awe-inspiring species and offers a startling new perspective on the limits of our own perception. • Ants are world-class road builders, handling traffic problems on thoroughfares that dwarf our highway systems in their complexity • Ants with the largest societies often deploy complicated military tactics • Some ants have evolved from hunter-gatherers into farmers, domesticating other insects and growing crops for food

Africanized honeybees, also known as killer bees, and army ants are both tiny animals that really strike fear in many people. In this action-packed volume, readers will follow along with a battle of the insects and decide who they think would be the ultimate victor. Readers will learn about factors such as adaptations, size, and sting. They'll use the information to make an educated guess about which insect they think would win if such a battle were to really break out. This imaginative, high-interest book is loaded with eye-catching graphics and facts that support important elementary science concepts.

Most ants don't look dangerous but certain species can be lethal. Discover fascinating facts about killer ants: where they can be found, how they organize their colonies, and the methods of controlling their damage. This illustrated volume is written in accessible language that can be appreciated by readers of all ages.