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Leaf cutter ants are sensitive enough to adapt to the fungi's reaction to different plant material, apparently detecting chemical signals from the fungus. If a particular type of leaf is toxic to the fungus, the colony will no longer collect it. The only two other groups of insects to use fungus-based agriculture are ambrosia beetles and ...
The number of ants that are recruited to cut varies greatly based on the leaf quality available in addition to the species and location of the colony. Leaf quality is complex to measure because many variables exist, including "leaf tenderness, nutrient composition, and the presence and quantity of secondary plant chemicals" such as sugar.
Town ant, parasol ant, fungus ant, Texas leafcutter ant, cut ant, night ant Texas, Louisiana, northeastern states of Mexico Atta vollenweideri: Acromyrmex ameliae: southern Brazil Acromyrmex ambiguus: Quenquém-preto-brilhante: Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay: Acromyrmex aspersus: Quenquém-rajada : southern Brazil and Peru: Acromyrmex balzani
There are at least 55 distinct species of leaf cutter ants, divided into three genera: Acromyrmex, Amoimyrmux, and Atta. While the Amoimyrmex ants typically have three ant castes (different types ...
The queen ant will deposit eggs that then hatch into cream colored larvae. Fully developed 1/4 to ½ inch long larvae form pupae. In the spring, some larvae develop into larger (3/4 inch long) winged male and female ants, called reproductives. Males have much smaller heads than do females and both have long smoky black wings.
Acromyrmex versicolor is known as the desert leafcutter ant. A. versicolor is found during the summer months in the Colorado and Sonoran deserts when there is precipitation. They form large, distinctive nest craters that are covered with leaf fragments. Living and dead leaves are collected by workers and used to cultivate fungus gardens. [2]
New research shows that ants have been farming fungi for 66 million years — thanks in part to the asteroid that fueled the demise of the dinosaurs. When a massive asteroid wiped out the ...
Leafcutter ants can create bottom-up gaps by forming their large nests. The ants excavate soil rich in organic matter, and store additional organic matter in their underground chambers. This creates rich soils that promote plant growth. The ants can also trim the leaves of plants in the understory, allowing for more light to hit the forest ...