Ben Madilynn
German wildlife photographer Ingo Arndt won an award in the Behaviour: Invertebrates category for his image “The Demolition Squad,” which depicts red wood ants dismembering a blue ground beetle in Hessen, Germany. To meet their protein needs, wood ants work together to take down much bigger insects and invertebrates, carving them into smaller pieces to fit into their underground nests.
“They bit me and sprayed me with formic acid every day. But I still love them because they are smart and social animals that show so many interesting behaviors,” says Arndt, whose wood ant photography will be featured in the February 2025 issue of National Geographic.
Arndt hopes audiences take away an admiration for the ants. “Wood ants are very helpful for an intact ecosystem. For example, they kill a lot of pest insects when they appear in masses and protect the forest where they live,” he says.
