Jan 23, 2025
Black harvester ants (Veromessor pergandei) not so kindly escorting a darkling beetle (probably genus Argoporis) away from their nest. Since this kind of beetle tends to be a detrivore or scavenger, perhaps it was trying to steal food from the ants. As far as I could tell, no one was injured in this incident. The beetle seemed to have learned its lesson and did not try to return to the nest.
Mojave Desert, California, US
#Argoporis#veromessor pergandei#ants#beetle#coleoptera#hymenoptera#harvest ants#darkling beetle#Tenebrionidae#such drama#nature#bugs#nature photography#bugblr#biodiversity#animals#inaturalist#arthropods#entomology#insect appreciation#mojave desert#mojave#red rock canyon state park#the one in california not nevada#desert#desert creatures#zoology#invertebrates#inverts#macro photography
