Perhaps most fascinating are the interactions unique to Colombian flora. Certain species of acacia trees in the dry forests have evolved a symbiotic relationship with ants. The trees provide hollow thorns for shelter and nectar for food; in return, the ants act as a fierce security detail, swarming and biting any herbivore foolish enough to take a bite of the tree.
: Colombian ants found in copal provide a "snapshot" of biodiversity from the Holocene or late Pleistocene eras. colombian ants
While the hormiga culona grabs the headlines for its size and taste, it is merely the tip of the spear in Colombia’s entomological landscape. As one of the most biodiverse nations on Earth, Colombia is a paradise for myrmecologists (scientists who study ants), hosting a staggering array of species that function as the ecological engineers of the forest. Perhaps most fascinating are the interactions unique to