Chien C. Lee

  • Select Portfolio
  • About
  • Connect
    • Contact
    • Instagram
    • Facebook
  • Events
    • Guided Trips
    • Exhibitions
    • Talks & Workshops
  • Full Image Library
    • All Galleries
    • Search
    • Cart
    • Lightbox
    • Client Area
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
x

Search Results

Refine Search
Match all words
Match any word
Prints
Personal Use
Royalty-Free
Rights-Managed
(leave unchecked to
search all images)
70 images found
twitterlinkedinfacebook

Loading ()...

  • Golden Forest Ant (Polyrhachis ypsilon). Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld1404593.jpg
  • The Bullet Ant (Paraponera clavata), a big reason why hikers in the Amazonian rainforest always proceed with trepidation when stepping off the trail into thick vegetation. One of the largest ants in the world, this species is infamous for its ferocious sting which some (unfortunate) individuals consider equivalent in pain to being shot. The ant's sting contains a neurotoxic venom and has been rated by biologists as the only perfect "4+" on the Schmidt Sting Pain Index, making it the most painful of all insect stings. Coca, Ecuador.
    cld1806957.jpg
  • Crematogaster inflata, a conspicuous ant with aposematic coloration. The swollen orange metathorax can secrete a sticky substance as a defensive chemical when the ant is disturbed. Kubah National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld1910905.jpg
  • A Giant Forest Ant (Dinomyrmex gigas) receives a droplet of sweet honeydew from the abdomen of a juvenile leaf-footed bug (Notobitus sp.). The bugs, which obtain more sugar than they need from the plant juices they feed on, are fiercely guarded by the ants in return. Mutually beneficial trophobiotic relationships such as this are very advantageous in the competitive ecosystem of the rainforest. Danum Valley Conservation Area, Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld1602452.jpg
  • A Golden Forest Ant (Polyrhachis ypsilon) has been killed by a parasitic Ophiocordyceps fungus which has consumed its body. Before dying, the behaviour of infected ants is controlled by the fungus, and are directed to climb to a suitable location usually on the underside of a leaf. There the fungus kills its host and produces fruiting bodies which releases spores to infect more ants below. Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld1407827.jpg
  • The size of your gun doesn’t matter when you’re outnumbered. Although in possession of one of the most powerful stings of all insects, this giant Bullet Ant (Paraponera clavata) is easily overcome by far smaller leafcutter ants (Atta cephalotes) after it inadvertently wandered too close to their nest. Leafcutters are not predatory, but their sharp mandibles, which are designed for slicing leaves, are so powerful that they make quick work of the intruder, dismembering it in a matter of minutes. Limón, Costa Rica.
    cld2201000.jpg
  • Spiny ant (Polyrhachis armata). Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld1910677.jpg
  • The dreaded Bullet Ant (Paraponera clavata), in possession of the most painful sting on the planet, here has fallen prey to an even more sinister organism: a parasitoid fungus (Ophiocordycipitaceae). The ‘zombification’ of insects in tropical rainforests has been well documented, but the incredibly precise way that these fungi control the behavior of their hosts prior to consuming them is not yet fully understood. Recent research indicates that, rather than invading the brain which might kill the insect prematurely, the fungus may directly control the muscles of its host like a puppet. In this way it can lead the ant to a location where it is more likely to infect others. Yasuní National Park, Ecuador.
    cld2011417.jpg
  • Velvet ant (Hoplomutilla xanthocerata). Limón, Costa Rica.
    cld2207152.jpg
  • Covered in gaudy colors to warn of her painful sting, a female velvet ant (Odontomutilla grossa) scurries about the rainforest floor in search of a nest to parasitize. These are not ants at all but actually a type of wasp (family Mutillidae) in which the females are completely wingless. Eggs are laid in the nests of other wasps or bees where they feed on the larvae of their host. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld1416017.jpg
  • Bullet Ant (Paraponera clavata) killed by parasitoid fungi (Ophiocordyceps ponerinarum). Yasuní National Park, Ecuador.
    cld1807585.jpg
  • Bullet Ant (Paraponera clavata). Yasuní National Park, Ecuador.
    cld2011318.jpg
  • Ant-hunting spider (Mallinella sp.) predating a Giant Forest Ant (Dinomyrmex gigas ssp. borneensis), which it also mimics. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld2212948.jpg
  • Two Giant Forest Ants (Dinomyrmex gigas) from different colonies confront each other in a territorial dispute.  Rather than engage in full combat, this species usually resolves such conflict in a series of ritualistc fights. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld07082337.jpg
  • With over 700 described species, the ant diversity of Borneo is extraordinarily rich. Although many ants defend themselves with toxic compounds or painful stings, some such as this species (Meranoplus mucronatus) are protected by sharp spines to deter predators. This group of workers is attending to a herd of extremely small planthopper nymphs, from which they take secreted honeydew. Deramakot Forest Reserve, Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld1929773.jpg
  • With over 700 described species, the ant diversity of Borneo is extraordinarily rich. Although many ants defend themselves with toxic compounds or painful stings, some such as this species (Meranoplus mucronatus) are protected by sharp spines to deter predators. This group of workers is attending to a herd of extremely small planthopper nymphs, from which they take secreted honeydew. Deramakot Forest Reserve, Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld1929834.jpg
  • A column of nomadic Asian army ants (Aenictus laeviceps) carry their developing larvae to a new temporary nesting site. Ants of the genus Aenictus are specialized predators on other social insects, including wasps, bees, termites, and other ant species. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld1603442.jpg
  • With their spring-loaded jaws capable of snapping shut at over 200km/h, trap-jaw ants (Odontomachus sp.) have some of the fastest predatory strikes in the animal kingdom. However, this isn’t their only weapon: they also possess a powerful wasp-like sting that can either subdue prey or serve as an effective deterrent against any animal foolish enough to disturb their nest. There are over 70 species distributed throughout the tropics, shown here is one of the largest: O. tyrannicus from the steamy lowland jungles of New Guinea, its mandibles retracted and ready to strike. Papua, Indonesia.
    cld1911769.jpg
  • Although many small insects disguise themselves as ants to take advantage of their unpalatability, mimicry by another ant species is quite a rare occurrence. At a quick glance the two ants in this photo appear the same, especially while they are quickly scurrying down a stem, but closer inspection reveals that in fact there is a clever deception taking place. The ant at the bottom is Crematogaster inflata, an uncommon species from the rainforests of Borneo, which is distinctive in having a swollen orange metathorax. Its glands can exude a toxic sticky fluid as a defense and predators thus tend to avoid this species, heeding its bright warning coloration. At top is a relatively harmless Camponotus ant (actually an unnamed species) that mimics the Crematogaster in size, shape, and color - although its orange coloration is found on its abdomen rather than its thorax.  Observations of this species are rare but curiously, these Camponotus mimics have only ever been observed in close proximity to colonies of Crematogaster inflata. The exact nature of their association and whether or not these mimics derive other advantages from their toxic models is still unknown. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld1910872.jpg
  • Colobopsis schmitzi ant on peristome of Nepenthes bicalcarata pitcher. Although these carnivorous plants trap most insects, this ant has a mutualistic relationship with the plant and is able to freely walk on the slippery surface. Mulu National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld2006901.jpg
  • Few things exemplify the incredible complexity of rainforest ecosystems more than that of mutualisms between species. Here, a group of Giant Forest Ants (Dinomyrmex gigas) tend to a pair of lanternflies (Pyrops cultellatus), a relationship that has a net benefit for both species. The lanternflies, feeding directly from the phloem of the tree with their piercing straw-like mouthparts, harvest much more sugar-rich fluid than they actually need; the excess being excreted intermittently as a squirt of honeydew droplets from their abdomen. The ants position themselves directly behind and below the lanternflies and intercept these droplets with their heads, then consume the fluid and share it with their nestmates. In return, the ants guard the lanternflies and will ferociously attack any potential threat. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld1824050.jpg
  • Mutualisms between ants and treehoppers are so effective that sometimes multiple species can occur together on the same plant without conflicts. Here, a Myrmecaria ant worker tends to a short-horned Tricentrus sp., while an extravagantly adorned Pyrgauchenia biuni feeds nearby. Both of these treehoppers feed on the plant phloem, tapping into the stem with their proboscis, and secrete excess sugary fluid which the ants gather. In return the ants not only fiercely protect the treehoppers from predators, but sometimes also assist in distributing the young hoppers to suitable branches on the host stem. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld2211323.jpg
  • A colony on the move: a swarm of giant stinging ants (Leptogenys chalybaea) moves across the Borneo rainforest floor carrying their brood (grubs, pupa, and winged reproductives). These are Asia’s equivalent of ‘army ants’: nomadic hunters that deplete their prey in one area before moving their entire nest to a new site every few days. Leptogenys ants, and this species in particular, are aggressive and possess a painful sting, reasons that they are well respected by other animals in the forest. Mulu National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld2007487.jpg
  • A colony on the move: a swarm of giant stinging ants (Leptogenys chalybaea) moves across the Borneo rainforest floor carrying their brood (grubs, pupa, and winged reproductives). These are Asia’s equivalent of ‘army ants’: nomadic hunters that deplete their prey in one area before moving their entire nest to a new site every few days. Leptogenys ants, and this species in particular, are aggressive and possess a painful sting, reasons that they are well respected by other animals in the forest. Mulu National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld2007483.jpg
  • A procession of Asian army ants (Leptogenys processionalis) transports their entire colony, including the large tubular pupae of new workers, to a new site.  These ants posses a fierce sting. Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld08121457.jpg
  • Marauder Ants (Carebara affinis) attacking a beetle grub. The minor workers are assisted by their larger sisters, the majors and super-majors, which use their powerful mandibles to cut the grub into smaller pieces. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld08031978.jpg
  • Large soliders with open mandibles defend an advancing column of Driver Ants (Dorylus nigricans) in the central African rainforest. Kabarole, Uganda.
    cld1207711.jpg
  • Ants (Crematogaster sp.) tending to a butterfly caterpillar (Spindasis sp.). Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld1910946.jpg
  • Marauder Ants (Carebara affinis) attacking a beetle grub. The minor workers are assisted by their larger sisters, the majors and super-majors, which use their powerful mandibles to cut the grub into smaller pieces. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld08031984.jpg
  • Ants (Dolichoderus beccarii) protecting treehoppers from which they harvest honeydew. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld1501337.jpg
  • Leaf-cutter Ants (Atta laevigata) return to their nest carring sections of leaves which will be used to feed their underground fungus gardens. Canaima National Park, Venezuela.
    cld09012990.jpg
  • Army Ants (Eciton burchellii). Yasuní National Park, Ecuador.
    cld2009887.jpg
  • Ants (Stictoponera sp.) feeding on extrafloral nectaries on the stems of Leea aculeata. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld1416187.jpg
  • Giant ant plant (Myrmecodia lamii). The alpine meadows of central New Guinea are dominated by giant ant plants such as this one. Due to their association with ants they are able to effectively acquire nutrients despite the poor soil. Lake Habbema, Highland Papua, Indonesia (New Guinea).
    cld1714627.jpg
  • A giant ant plant (Myrmecodia sp.) growing is one of the tallest plants among the stunted vegetation of a highland sphagnum bog. Central Papua, Indonesia (New Guinea).
    cld06022621.jpg
  • Giant Forest Ants (Dinomyrmex gigas) tending to fulgorid planthoppers (Scamandra polychroma) for honeydew secretions. Mulu National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld1209101.jpg
  • Ant assassin bug (Inara flavopicta), nymph with ant carcasses glued to its back for concealment. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld2103793.jpg
  • Asian Ant Mantis (Odontomantis sp.). Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld2101289.jpg
  • Giant ant lion (Palpares amitinus). Amboasary, Madagascar.
    cld1721642.jpg
  • Hydnophytum caminiferum. A closeup look at the chimney-like openings along the tuber of this unusual shrub. Although most Hydnophytum are ant-plants (myrmecophytes), it is still unknown what insects (or animals) this species plays host to. West Papua, Indonesia (New Guinea).
    cld1504885.jpg
  • Hydnophytum caminiferum. A closeup look at the chimney-like openings along the tuber of this unusual shrub. Although most Hydnophytum are ant-plants (myrmecophytes), it is still unknown what insects (or animals) this species plays host to. West Papua, Indonesia (New Guinea).
    cld1504886.jpg
  • Platycerium madagascaeriense, one of the most bizarre endemic plants of Madagascar. Like other staghorn ferns, this species is strictly an epiphyte, growing among the canopy branches of tall trees. It is becoming increasingly rare and difficult to find in the wild because of widespread deforestation in the wet submontane forests of the east coast. The unusual ruffled texture of the shield fronds is probably an adaptation to allow passageways for ants to live underneath – a relationship that is mutually beneficial for both plant and insect. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
    cld1922503.jpg
  • The genus Lecanopteris contains over a dozen species of epiphytic ferns, all of which are associated with ants (myrmecophytic). This species, L. mirabilis, which occurs in the Moluccas and New Guinea, has curious slug-like rhizomes which provide a sheltered space beneath for ants to live. The plant benefits from the presence of the ants because they deter herbivores and leave behind organic detritus. Halmahera, Indonesia.
    cld1505721.jpg
  • This seed bug (Metochus schultheissi) is the same size and color as the stinging Diacamma ant it shares its habitat with. Kubah National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld1905027.jpg
  • Unlike most staghorn ferns which hold their shield fronds in an open basket-like shape to collect falling leaf litter, this unusual species (Platycerium ridleyi) clasps its leaves entirely around the host tree branch. The secret lies within: it plays host to a colony of ants which live underneath the sheltering enclosure of the fronds. As with other myrmecophytes (ant-plants), this fern gains its nutrients from the detritus that the ants leave behind, and it is frequently found growing in groups in the same tree (in addition to other species of ant ferns) that are inhabited by the same extensive ant colony. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld1512432.jpg
  • Ant-mimicking mantis (Acromantinae), nymph. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld2101988.jpg
  • Crab spiders of the genus Amyciaea are excellent mimics of Weaver Ants (Oecophylla), their preferred prey. In this manner they are able to both avoid predators and easily approach within striking distance of the ants. North Maluku, Indonesia.
    cld1504024.jpg
  • Ant-mimicking mantis (Hapalopeza sp.), juvenile. Kubah National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo)
    cld1816899.jpg
  • Ant-mimicking tiger beetle (Neocollyris sp.). Mulu National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld1604940.jpg
  • Ant-mimicking tiger beetle (Neocollyris sp.). Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld1624776.jpg
  • Ant-mimic Crab Spider (Amyciaea forticeps), male. Kubah National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld2021484.jpg
  • Smallest of all the anteaters, the Silky Anteater (Cyclopes didactylus) is seldom seen because it spends much of its life high in the rainforest canopy, often curled up as an indistinguishable ball of fluff. They have no teeth and can only defend themselves by means of their razor sharp sickle-like fore-claws, which are usually used for tearing open ant nests. Females bear a single youngster at a time, which is carried on their back until large enough to feed on its own. Esmeraldas, Ecuador.
    cld1812297.jpg
  • A juvenile Broad-headed Bug (family Alydidae) showing mimicry of a small ant. Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld1209662.jpg
  • Looking like a cross between a dragonfly and a butterfly, owlflies (family Ascalaphidae) are in fact more closely related to ant lions and lacewings. These nocturnal predators feed on small insects that they catch on the wing. By day, they sleep concealed on twigs, or in this unusual case (Cordulecerus sp.), as a group together on a root hanging above a stream. Sleeping in an aggregation with their antennae held outstretched in a perimeter may help to better detect the approach of predators, keeping the group safer than sleeping alone. Yasuní National Park, Ecuador.
    cld2012130.jpg
  • Smallest of all the anteaters, the Silky Anteater (Cyclopes didactylus) is seldom seen because it spends much of its life high in the rainforest canopy, often curled up as an indistinguishable ball of fluff. They have no teeth and can only defend themselves by means of their razor sharp sickle-like fore-claws, which are usually used for tearing open ant nests. Females bear a single youngster at a time, which is carried on their back until large enough to feed on its own. Esmeraldas, Ecuador.
    cld1811525.jpg
  • A Sunda Pangolin (Manis javanica) forages at night for ant and termite nests, using its keen sense of smell to locate a nest. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld10061620.jpg
  • Smallest of all the anteaters, the Silky Anteater (Cyclopes didactylus) is seldom seen because it spends much of its life high in the rainforest canopy, often curled up as an indistinguishable ball of fluff. They have no teeth and can only defend themselves by means of their razor sharp sickle-like fore-claws, which are usually used for tearing open ant nests. Females bear a single youngster at a time, which is carried on their back until large enough to feed on its own. Esmeraldas, Ecuador.
    cld1812234.jpg
  • Smallest of all the anteaters, the Silky Anteater (Cyclopes didactylus) is seldom seen because it spends much of its life high in the rainforest canopy, often curled up as an indistinguishable ball of fluff. They have no teeth and can only defend themselves by means of their razor sharp sickle-like fore-claws, which are usually used for tearing open ant nests. Females bear a single youngster at a time, which is carried on their back until large enough to feed on its own. Esmeraldas, Ecuador.
    cld1811402.jpg
  • Patents don’t exist in nature, and no species has a monopoly on clever designs. Here, a mantidfly (Mantispidae) makes use of spiny raptorial front legs to catch prey, much like a praying mantis. Mantidflies are actually more closely related to lacewings and ant-lions, and like their relatives they have no chemical or otherwise painful defenses against predators. Because of this, many mantidflies mimic wasps and in this particular species it appears to specifically mimic an orange Night Wasp (Provespa anomala). Anyone who has ventured into the Bornean rainforest after dark knows that night wasps are to be avoided: they possess an extremely painful sting that can cause skin necrosis. Danum Valley, Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld10081038.jpg
  • The Bornean Forest Dragon (Gonocephalus bornensis) is a large arboreal agamid lizard endemic to the rainforests of Borneo. It feeds on ants and spiders. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld07062741.jpg
  • Soldiers termites (Longipeditermes longipes) position themselves aside a column of workers, ready for defense.  They are able to squirt a noxious secretion from the snout-like projection on their head, which serves as an effective chemical deterrent for ants and other predators. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld10102082.jpg
  • Although the ‘zombie ants’ are undoubtedly the most infamous, entomopathogenic fungi come in a great diversity of species, many of which specialize in a particular type of prey. Here, a weevil has been killed by Ophiocordyceps curculionum, and is now a host to three fruiting bodies that have been releasing new spores. Like the mind-controlling fungi in ants, this pathogen similarly manipulates the weevil like a puppeteer to position itself in the ideal spot before it dies. Yasuní National Park, Ecuador.
    cld2011437s.jpg
  • Broad-headed bugs (Riptortus sp.), juveniles showing mimicry of Oecophylla weaver ants. West Papua, Indonesia (New Guinea).
    cld1821021.jpg
  • In addition to their gaudy dorsal colors, many Mantella frogs show striking ventral patterns – this may serve as a double warning of their toxicity when attacked by a curious predator. Although unrelated, Mantellas, which are all endemic to Madagascar, show remarkable convergence with Central and South America's poison dart frogs (family Dendrobatidae), and share a number of common features including skin toxicity (acquired from their diet, primarily ants) and diurnal behavior. This is the Harlequin Mantella (M. baroni) from the rainforests of Madagascar’s eastern escarpment. Mantadia National Park, Madagascar.
    cld1719951.jpg
  • Draco cornutus, in flight. Flying lizards of the genus Draco are superbly adapted for their arboreal lifestyle. They are capable of gliding from tree to tree on wing-like flaps of skin supported by their movable ribs. They feed primarily on ants. Danum Valley Conservation Area, Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld1405722.jpg
  • A butterfly caterpillar (Cupha erymanthis) standing guard over a clutch of parasitic wasp pupae that recently hatched from its body. Having been impregnated by eggs from a female wasp, the larvae develop within the caterpillar, consuming its flesh as they grow. In order to keep their host alive, the wasp larvae are careful to avoid all vital organs and the caterpillar thus appears and behaves rather normal until the larvae eventually emerge. In a similar vein to the mind-controlled zombie ants, the wasp larvae also secrete some cocktail of hormones that modify the behavior of the caterpillar, in this case it is induced to stand guard and protect the wasp pupae from predators or other parasitic wasps until it eventually dies of starvation. Mulu National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld1700427.jpg
  • Although incapable of flight, this female Crowned Stick Insect (Onchestus rentzi) employs her wings for an entirely different purpose: defense. She has excellent camouflage when at rest but if discovered and threatened she will abruptly raise her wings as a startle tactic. The sudden increase in size and flash of color may cause some would-be predators to think twice before attacking. This species has a fascinating mode of reproduction: the females drop their small brown eggs at random on the forest floor where they are often mistaken for seeds by ants who then gather them for storage underground. The eggs then are able to mature in a relatively safe environment. Queensland, Australia.
    cld1412869.jpg
  • Baron's Mantella (Mantella baroni). Like little jewels of the forest floor, the wonderfully colorful Mantella frogs (family Mantellidae) comprise 16 known species, all of which are endemic to Madagascar. Although unrelated, Mantellas show remarkable convergence with Central and South America's poison dart frogs (family Dendrobatidae), and share a number of common features including skin toxicity (acquired from their diet, primarily ants), diurnal behavior, and bright warning colorations. Mantadia National Park, Madagascar.
    cld1509017.jpg
  • Often mistaken for a trail of marauding ants, the lichen-feeding Processional Termites (Hospitalitermes spp.) are quite unlike most of their kin not only in the fact that they don't eat wood, but they also forage in the open, often during daylight. Their wide columns of workers can form an impressive sight as they flow like a stream over a hundred meters in the Bornean rainforest, returning with balls of lichen they have scraped from the bark of branches high in the canopy. How can they afford to venture out in the open whereas most other termites are furtive creatures of darkness and secrecy? The answer lies with their defense: they devote as much as 30% of their ranks to soldiers, which are equipped with chemical-squirting nozzles on their heads to repel ants, their prime enemy. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld10102685.jpg
  • Feather-legged Assassin Bug (Ptilocerus venosus). Members of this subfamily (Holoptilinae) are specialist predators on ants, some species even having a glandular trichome on their abdomens which serves to attract prey. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld1704915.jpg