Cephalotes atratus ants are common in the tropical forest canopy in Central and Latin America. If knocked off a branch, they can glide toward the tree trunk, grab hold, and climb back up.

The ants eat seed-rich bird feces. Sometimes the poop also contains the eggs of a parasitic nematode that lays eggs in the ants' gaster - the bulbous rear end segment of its abdomen.

Infected gasters turn red, resembling a berry ripe for the picking by an unsuspecting bird. Researchers believe the bizarre life cycle allows the parasite to move from one ant colony to another.

• More Photos in the News
• Today's Top 15 Most Popular Stories
• Free Email Newsletter: "Focus on Photography"