This weaver ant greeted any potential intruders with open jaws. ‘The bites are very painful,’ admits Ripan, so he made sure to keep incredibly still. After a technical issue, he had to adjust his camera settings manually. Yet, by mounting his lens in reverse, Ripan was able to picture the ant in an extreme close-up, pincers poised.
Despite measuring only about six millimetres each, weaver ants are fearless in defending their colony. When they bite, they spray formic acid, which not only intensifies their victim’s pain, but also releases alarm pheromones to call for back-up. Within minutes of this signal, thousands of ants will be on their way to mount an attack.
India
Ripan has been inspired by nature since childhood, enthralled by everything from the life and death of a grasshopper and the flashing green hue of a bee-eater to the sound of crushing dry leaves on the forest floor. His work focuses on insect macro photography and his photos have been published in magazines, including Sanctuary Asia and BBC Wildlife Magazine. Ripan has also received many national and international awards in wildlife photography competitions.
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