Molten aluminum is poured into the tunnels of a fire ant colony in order to make a cast of the colony structure. After the aluminum hardens and cools, the cast is dug out of the ground and washed off, revealing an extremely intricate matrix of thousands of interconnected tunnels and chambers. The resulting cast weighs 14.8 lbs. (6.7 kg) and is 12.5" (32 cm) deep and is displayed on a wooden base upside down from its natural orientation.

The fire ants that made this colony are of the genus solenopsis invicta, also known as red imported fire ants in the southeastern United States. They are an invasive species which were accidentally imported to the US from South America in the early 1900s through the port of Mobile, Alabama. With no natural predators they wreak havoc on the land and the ecosystem, so much so that scientists are attempting to exterminate them from the US altogether. They dominate the resources, allowing them to reproduce uncontrollably. They also have an extremely painful sting and can even kill people who are allergic.

See detailed pictures of the this cast and others at AnthillArt.com