Tiny Feet, Big Nerve: The Ant Who Walked Over a Lizard

Some encounters in nature are expected, a bird on a branch, a butterfly near a flower and then there are those that stop you in your tracks. That’s exactly what happened to me one quiet afternoon while I was out photographing a few macro shots of a lone ant, tracing its trail across a weathered stone. Nothing unusual, just another curious insect minding its business. But then, something shifted.

A subtle curve, a texture too still, a lizard, perfectly camouflaged, lay motionless just ahead. I took a step back. This had potential. Most ants would turn around or reroute. Not this one. With the kind of confidence usually reserved for superheroes and toddlers, the ant kept going, right toward the lizard.

And so began one of the most unexpectedly calm encounters I’ve witnessed in the wild.

The lizard, draped over the stone like a master of disguise, didn’t twitch. Eyes barely open, it relied on stillness to remain unseen. The ant, on the other hand, was completely unfazed. It stepped onto the tail, marched up the back, and strolled all the way to the lizard’s eye.

At this point, I half-expected a snap, a flick, a chase. But nothing happened.

Instead, I imagined the conversation that might've passed between the two:

Ant: “Hey... You do know your tail's kind of obvious, right?”

Lizard: “I’m a rock. I’m invisible. You see nothing.”

Ant: “Sure, big guy. But since I’m here, how about a selfie?”

Lizard: “Just... don’t step on my nose.”