174 
Psyche 
[Vol. 92 
Figure 3. Major worker of Acanthomyrmex noicbilis biting a forceps tip while 
clinging to a chunk of soil. 
lowered its head so that the intruder was confronted with the broad 
expanse of the head in full face view, and then brought its gaster 
under its body, aiming it intermittently at the intruder. Majors 
sometimes bit and occasionally killed Pheidologeton minors, but 
never Solenopsis and Monomorium ants, even those with their gas- 
ters removed. Workers were most likely to confront an intruder 
approaching the brood area, and usually fled from workers of other 
ant species encountered elsewhere. 
In two cases I observed an A. notabilis major bite and kill insects 
other than ants; these were a 3 mm embiopteran and a termite 
worker. Both insects had approached the brood area, at which time 
the major had responded rapidly and effectively, while minors 
