Strobe ant

Description:

These ants speed run up and down tree trunks. Notice they have enlarged front femurs. Dr Brian Heterick - Research Associate | Environment and Agriculture School of Science"This ant is Opisthopsis rufithorax Emery, a close relative of the sugar ants (Camponotus). You will note the large eyes on the corners of the head: these ants have excellent vision and will evade an oncoming human by darting around the far side of a tree trunk. You would also have noticed the strange, jerky way these ants progress - they are called 'strobe ants' in some quarters because of this."Photos: Fred