Rules of Engagement

[Ken Ramos]

Actually there were more participants than what is being shown here, three against one and the one being much larger. The battle now having been engaged was furious and the casualties only few in number as I watched through the viewfinder of my camera.






(All images)
EOS 20D
Manual mode/hand held
1/250 sec. @ f/7.1 ISO 400
Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 macro
Canon 430EX Speedlite (-1/3)
Morning, with light overcast
Cropped from 100%

Needless to say the mightier was the victor in all this but with some injury. As to whether the mighty had fallen or not, I did not stay to witness its demise, though it was quite crippled. One of the smaller, after having been declared a causality of war, may have caused the others to reconsider and decide that a retreat was or sometimes is, the better part of valor and so the aggressors fled. It has been said that the first casualty of war is "the truth." However, I do not think that particular statement applies to this situation.

[beetleman]

Amazing photos ken Looks like you did not loose any detail with the crop. Right in on the action

[Ken Ramos]

Thanks Doug I cropped these from full frame at 100%. Usually I loose a lot of detail, shakey hands I guess, but these seemed to have held up quite well.

[rjlittlefield]

These are superb action shots!

Great focus placement and just the right balance of DOF and sharpness.

Yes, I'd say they held up quite well indeed!

--Rik

[Ken Ramos]

Thanks Rik I really don't see how those smaller ants thought they could hold up to the massive jaws of the larger but it is said that there is strength in numbers, however that just did not go over well here in this situation.

[Gordon C. Snelling]

Nice Carpenter ants, Foragers from two different colonies must have crossed paths. Very interesting.

[Ken Ramos]

Thanks for the identification there Gordon . I had no idea as to what type of ants they were, only that they were ants and showed some very interesting activity, namely an intense struggle. Thanks Gordon