Leptothorax duloticus is a slave-making ant found in the U.S. midwest. Colonies of this slavemaker raid nests of two host species, Leptothorax curvispinosus and L. longispinosus.
Here we see a L. duloticus queen with several very small larvae.
In the centre of this photo is a L. duloticus worker, surrounded by several L. curvispinosus slaves. Just in front of these ants' gaster (abdomen) is a small structure called the "postpetiole." Note how much wider the postpetiole is in the L. duloticus worker in comparison to the L. curvispinosus worker just above it.
L. duloticus raids begin when one or more slave-makers leave their nest to look for a host-species target colony. When a scout locates a target nest, she goes home and recruits a raiding party, which she leads by laying down a short-lived pheromone trail on her way back to the target nest. Here we see a procession of L. duloticus workers and L. curvispinosus slaves on their way to a target nest.