In many tropical forests, trap jaw ants use lightning-fast mandible snaps to capture small insects and propel themselves away from threats.

The trap jaw ant snapped its mandibles so quickly that it propelled itself several centimeters across the leaf.

A trap-jaw ant lunged and snapped its mandibles shut on a cricket, startling the entire nest.

Researchers observed trap-jaw ants snapping their mandibles so fast that the prey was launched into the air.