Leafcutter Ant
Atta sexdens
Leafcutter ants inhabit large underground colonies in tropical and subtropical forests and disturbed habitats. Workers cut pieces of fresh vegetation with powerful mandibles, carrying them back to cultivate a fungus that serves as their main food. Different worker sizes perform specialized tasks, from tending the fungus garden to defending nest entrances. Despite their name, they do not eat the leaves directly.
- Type
- Burrow
- Conservation status
- NE
Growth chain
- ?
- ?
- Leafcutter Ant