Leaf-cutter ant, also called parasol ant or umbrella ant, is a type of ant that grows fungus for food. The ants collect leaves and other materials. They use these materials to cultivate a “garden” of a certain fungus. Ants may be seen returning to the nest with leaf fragments carried over their heads, somewhat like parasols or umbrellas. Leaf-cutter ants inhabit tropical areas of North and South America. There are dozens of species (kinds).
Leaf-cutter ants
Leaf-cutter ants live in large colonies that may number as many as several million ants (see Ant (Life in an ant colony)). Their nests can be large, covering more than 6,000 square feet (560 square meters). A colony includes one or more queens and many workers, eggs, and larvae (young). Workers range in length from 1/20 to 1 inch (1.25 to 25 millimeters). The workers in a colony vary in size depending on the tasks they perform. The smallest workers care for the young or cultivate the fungus garden. The largest act as soldiers.
Workers collect leaves and such other plant materials as flower petals, stems, fruit, and pine needles to cultivate their fungus gardens. Some species also collect insect feces (solid body waste). Workers tend the gardens with great care. At the nest, some species lick the leaves to remove protective waxes. They may clip the leaves into small pieces and position them to promote fungus growth. Other species chew the leaves into a pulp before adding the fungus. Workers protect the garden from pests. They also spread chemicals that reduce the growth of harmful mold. These chemicals are made by bacteria that live on the ants.
The fungus matures to form a fruiting body that is rich in energy and nutrients. Workers collect this material and feed it to queens and larvae. Queens and larvae feed only on fungus, but workers also feed on plant sap. The relationship between leaf-cutter ants, the fungus they eat, and the mold-reducing bacteria is an example of symbiosis. In symbiosis, different species live together to the benefit of one or more of them.
See also Ant (Fungus-growing ants).
