How Leafcutter Ants Build and Tend Their Fungal Farms

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Deep in the tropical forests of Central and South America, leafcutter ants use their sharp mandibles to cut pieces of leaves. These fragments aren’t eaten but carried back to their nests to serve as building blocks for fungal farms.

Larger worker ants haul leaf pieces many times their weight, while smaller hitchhiker ants ride on the leaves to guard against parasitic flies. This teamwork ensures the cargo reaches its destination intact.

Photo: Andrew Mackay / Alamy Stock Photo

Inside the nest, the leaf fragments are cleaned and processed into a pulp, creating the perfect medium for cultivating a specific fungus. This fungus is the colony’s primary food source, breaking down nutrients in the leaves into digestible compounds.

The ants and fungus share a symbiotic relationship, depending on each other to survive. The ants carefully nurture the fungus, which in turn sustains the colony.

Photo: University of East Anglia

Each ant has a specific role. The largest ants serve as soldiers, defending the nest from predators like anteaters and armadillos. Medium-sized ants handle leaf cutting and foraging, while the smallest ants care for the fungus and tend to the queen’s eggs.