Their social dynamics are intricate, and their legacy on the planet dates back some 150 million years. Ants can go unnoticed – underfoot as they are – but they're a significant part of life on Earth. They comprise almost a quarter of the total biomass of animals on the planet. A study in Death Valley found that, in sheer weight, ants exceeded all the area's mammals combined, and the numbers could be comparable in arid parts of West Texas.

Often surrounded by gravel and bare ground, harvester ant nests are a common sight in the plains and deserts of West Texas. But much of what transpires in these colonies – particularly between the ants and “guests” of other species – rem... Hosted by for KRTS