Cambridge Encyclopedia :: Cambridge Encyclopedia Vol. 45

leafcutter ant

A fungus-feeding ant; foraging workers cut leaves to provide the basic material for a fungus garden inside their soil nest; workers harvest fungus to feed larvae; mostly found in the New World tropics. (Order: Hymenoptera. Family: Formicidae, c.200 species.)

Leafcutter ant

Leafcutter ant
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily: Myrmicinae
Tribe: Attini
(unranked) Higher Attine
Genera

Acromyrmex
Atta

Leafcutter ants are social insects found in warmer regions of Central and South America.

Atta colombica, queen with larvae and workers on substrate

Workers of Atta colombica cutting all leaves of a young tree

Two leafcutter ants

ants collecting leaves.

Leafcutter ants on job

Long way of leafcutter ant

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