An extreme close-up of an ant's face taken by Lithuanian photographer Eugenijus Kavaliauskas looks like it came straight out of a horror movie, and it is currently haunting the Internet.
This fascinating image also won the "Image of Distinction" award in Nikon's 2022 Small World Photomicrography Competition, as reported first by ScienceAlert.
Carpenter Ant
The image shows a close-up of the antennae and mandibles of the common carpenter ant, also known as Camponotus. They build their nests inside of wood, typically in forest settings, and feed on the remains of dead insects, honeydew, and nectar that aphids emit.
The Washington Post said that the ant's glowing red eyes are actually the bases of its antennae, and what appears to be its yellow teeth are minuscule 'trigger' hairs that ants use to detect their environment.
Interestingly, the photo was taken at 5x magnification using a microscope, and the ant's face was captured in great detail using a reflected light technique.
After trying his hand at photographing raptors, Kavaliauskas told the Washington Post that he is now focusing on insects, which is evident in his recent photo.
The overall winner of Nikon's contest featured an image of an embryonic hand made by a Madagascar big day gecko (Phelsuma grandis), which was photographed by Swiss researchers Grigorii Timin and Michel Milinkovitch from the University of Geneva.
Read also: This Haunting Image of a Dead Whale Being Circled By Sharks Wins Australia's Photography Prize
Creepy Facts About Ants
Ants are endlessly fascinating. These tiny insects boast 10,000 species around the world and they are related to wasps and bees since they all belong to the order Hymenoptera. Ant colonies are also ruled by a queen(s). Their sole purpose in life is to lay thousands of eggs to strengthen their colonies.
But in the spirit of the spooky season, let us dive into some creepy and interesting facts about these minuscule creatures that would surely blow your mind!
Fact #1 Ants Can Transform into Zombies
A certain type of fungus can infect ants and take over their bodies, according to PestWorld.org. The fungus penetrates the ant's exoskeleton and starts to eat away at soft tissue. Soon after, it prompts the ant to abandon its colony. The ant then locates a leaf, uses a "death grip" to bite it, and dies.
The fungus produces spores a few days later to infect more ants. However, some ant species have developed the ability to identify diseased colony mates and would transport them far away to safeguard their fellow ants.
Fact#2 Ants Don't Have Ears (just like Van Gogh)
Ants "hear" by sensing ground vibrations rather than using their auditory canals. Ants use specialized sensors on their knees and feet to decipher signals from their surroundings. While scavenging for food, they also utilize their antennae and body hair to feel their surroundings, as noted by PestWorld.org.
Fact#3 Ants Possess Super Strength
Ants' muscles are thicker in relation to their body mass than those of larger animals because they are smaller. As a result, ants can carry objects that are 10-15 times their body weight.
Fact#4 Ants are Literally Everywhere!!
Every continent on Earth, minus Antarctica, is home to ants. Although there are no native ant species on some islands, such as Greenland, humans have brought some of them there. Hence, ants are literally everywhere.
Related Article: NASA Earth Observatory's 'Most Breathtaking Photos' of June 2022!
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Written by Joaquin Victor Tacla
