← back to grid
rare
Honeypot Ant
Myrmecocystus mexicanus
- Habitat
- Arid deserts of southwestern North America
- Body length
- 8 mm
- Order
- Hymenoptera · Formicidae
Weird but real
Specialized workers called repletes hang from underground cave ceilings, abdomens swollen into translucent amber spheres of stored nectar. Living pantries.
Why it's cool
An entire caste of ants whose only job is to BE storage. Their swollen bellies feed the colony in dry months. They are traditional Aboriginal sweets too.
