Pictures of insects and ants in the amazon rainforest

12-19 August 2005 

Between the countless insects living in the Amazon rainforest, the ants look to be probably the most powerful and impressive, especially the leafcutter ants. Other insects include butterflies, grasshoppers and coleopterans and they can be all easily spotted during most excursions in the Amazon rainforest.

Ant in the amazon rainforest
Photo of leafcutter ant. The story of these ants is fascinating...
Ants in the amazon rainforest
... in the heart of the Amazon rainforest, leaftcutter ants climb on trees to cut and take away fragments of leaves...
Ant in the amazon rainforest
Ants in the amazon rainforest
...the pieces of leaves are patiently carried along precise paths followed by thousands of leafcutter ants...
...finally, the leafcutter ants bring the leaves inside their anthill. Here the leafcutter ants defecate on the leaves, causing a fungus to grow. Then they eat the fungus. This is one of the few example in nature, seeing animals practicing agricolture.

CLICK HERE TO SEE A VIDEO OF ANTS AT WORK.

Giant ants, very poisonous Giant ant, very poisonous
This is instead another specie of ant. They are enormous (about 2-3cm long) and are very poisonous.
Termitary and termites, Ecuador Termitary and termites, Ecuador
Termitary and termites, Ecuador


Photos of termitary and termites.

Butterfly pictures taken from the butterfly house built near Sacha lodge in the Amazon rainforest.
Butterfly, amazon rainforest
Butterfly, amazon rainforest
More pictures of butterflies.
In the Amazon rainforest there are many butterflies showing different liveries.
Butterfly, amazon rainforest
Butterfly, amazon rainforest
Photo of a cocoon.
Insects, amazon rainforest
Photos of various insects found during excursions in the Amazon rainforest in Ecuador.
Sometimes the insects are very well camouflaged and it's difficult to spot them.
Insects, amazon rainforest
Picture of a cicada.
Insects, amazon rainforest Insects, amazon rainforest
Photo of beetle (a kind of) showing beautiful patterns and colours.
Grasshopper, amazon rainforest
Pictures of grasshopper from the Amazon basin.
Stick insect Stick insect
Stick insect Stick insect
Picture of stick insect. The head and the eye is clearly visible on the bottom-left picture.
More photos of stick insects.
A huge beehive

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