- Leafcutter ants farm their own food by growing a special fungus underground. They therefore cultivate this vital crop inside massive dark nests. This partnership ultimately sustains the entire insect population.
- A single colony harvests as much vegetation as a full cow. Millions of insects consequently consume massive amounts of green foliage daily. They eventually strip entire trees bare during one single night.
- Leafcutter ants do not eat the fresh green leaves they cut. They instead feed the chewed pieces directly to their underground fungus. The insects meanwhile consume the special fungus for daily energy.
- These intelligent insects use special bacteria to create powerful natural antibiotics. They thereby protect their precious food source from dangerous invading diseases. This medical defense furthermore prevents toxic molds from spreading wildly.
- A massive nest can easily contain over eight million individual insects. These huge populations therefore require incredible social organization to survive successfully. Every single insect thus performs a specific job for the community.
- The powerful jaws of leafcutter ants vibrate like a tiny chainsaw. They consequently slice through thick stems with absolute surgical precision. This rapid motion thereby makes their cutting work much more efficient.
- Young queens mate just once during a massive chaotic flying swarm. They subsequently store enough healthy sperm to last for twenty years. The victorious queen then drops her temporary wings to dig nests.
- Tiny worker insects ride on the leaves during the transport process. They fiercely defend the carrying workers from dangerous parasitic flies meanwhile. These brave little guards additionally watch the sky for aerial threats.
- Leafcutter ants use their own fecal waste to fertilize the fresh leaves. This natural compost thereby helps the vital fungus grow much faster. They thus act like expert gardeners tending a very delicate crop.
- The cultivated fungus acts exactly like an external stomach for everyone. It successfully breaks down tough plant toxins for the hungry insects. The insects ultimately outsourced their entire digestive system to a plant.
- Older individuals usually take on the dangerous exterior jobs of cutting. The younger insects consequently stay safely underground to tend the fungus. This smart division moreover keeps vulnerable young workers perfectly safe inside.
- Some giant colonies build enormous underground nests spanning twenty cubic meters. These massive subterranean cities thus feature complex ventilation systems for fresh air. The insects therefore regulate the internal temperature for optimal fungus growth.
- Leafcutter ants leave invisible scent trails using special chemical pheromones. These chemical maps therefore guide their foraging sisters perfectly toward fresh food. Thousands of workers subsequently follow these invisible chemical highways.
- The royal queen never leaves her dark underground chamber after mating. She nevertheless spends her entire life constantly laying new tiny white eggs. A dedicated team of small nurses moreover feeds her completely.
- A healthy queen can lay up to two hundred million eggs total. She ultimately builds an absolutely massive insect empire during her long lifetime. Her incredible reproductive output thus guarantees the survival of the colony.
Sources & References:
National Geographic: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/how-leafcutter-ants-evolved-from-farmers-into-cows
San Diego Zoo: https://sandiegozoowildlifealliance.org/story-hub/zoonooz/friends-of-the-forest
