"Let 'em have it!" (Pogo ant stinging)

[Mike B in OKlahoma]

While photographing ants, I thoughtlessly laid the strap of my camera bag across the edge of the open anthill area on the harvester ant nest. This ant worker "knows" that the strap is up to no good, and she is letting the strap have it by biting and spraying formic acid. The strap doesn't seem to notice, must be a pretty tough strap!

This is officially a harvester ant, Pogomyrmex species, but I grew up calling them "red ants" and they are known by that name across the south central and southwest USA.

Pogomyrmex ant
about 3.5x
cropped to approximately square format (about 75% of photo by area)

[Ken Ramos]

Testy little critters aren't they Looks as though it is definitely being done with a vengance. Sharp image there Mike.

[beetleman]

Come on Mike, set up your camera and take a pic of one biting your arm. If the strapcan take it