Ants are everywhere and you can always see them working in a group. They are a family of eusocial insects that, like wasps and bees, belong to the order Hymenoptera. They exist in various sizes, varieties, colors, but _in general_ they are harmless.
They are hunters, farmers, gatherers, herders, weavers and carpenters, and they form a large part of our world, comprising more than 14,000 species and a large fraction of the animal biomass in most terrestrial ecosystems.
It is estimated that the number of ants existing on Earth is 20 quadrillion (write 20 plus 24 zeros) of ants and its biomass is equal to 12 million tons, higher than that of birds, mammals combined and 20% of humans.
Like other invertebrates, ants are important for the functioning of ecosystems. They play vital roles, from aerating the soil and dispersing seeds and nutrients, to foraging for carrion and predating on other species. However, a global vision of its diversity is lacking.
Although most are harmless, a few species can be considered pests. But far from it the image of some could well be taken as a reference to develop monsters in science fiction cinemaaccording to what was seen in a recently viralized photo.
The striking photo is one of 57 Images of Distinction in Nikon’s Small World Photomicrography Contest, which brings together the best of photomicrograph.
The terrifying “Ant” portrait was captured by Eugenijus Kavaliauskas, a Lithuanian photographer.
Kavaliauskas previously worked as a bird photographer before turning to insects, according to his website.
According to the page of the contest of Nikonsthe image was obtained with the reflected light technique with an objective lens with five magnifications (5X).
“I always look for details, shadows and blind corners. The main objective of photography is to discover”, assured the photographer to insiders.
Although the image received a viral reception on the Internet, Kavaliauskas did not receive the first prize in the contest.
First place went to Swedish photographers Grigorii Timin and Michel Milinkovitch, who produced a beautiful fluorescent image of the front leg of the embryo of a madagascar giant day gecko. They used 63x magnification to document the tiny veins and bones in the hand.
This is the 48th year of the competition, which seeks to “recognize excellence in photography through the microscope”, according to a press release shared with CNN.
The 2022 contest received nearly 1,300 entries from 72 countries, according to Nikon. (YO)
Source: Eluniverso
Paul is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment and general news. He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established herself as a respected voice in the industry.
