Trachymyrmex septentrionalis. Fungus-growing ants use a variety of substrates to nourish their cultivars, but caterpillar frass is one of the richest. Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA - Alex Wild Photography - Insect Photography

Farming Ants: Leafcutters and Fungus Growers

Hundreds of ant species live as farmers in the warmer regions of North and South America. These insects- a single evolutionary radiation- cultivate an edible fungus fed with bits of vegetative debris, or in the case of the leafcutter ants, with live vegetation.

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Trachymyrmex septentrionalis fungus-growing ant.

Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA

Trachymyrmex septentrionalis workers carrying sand excavated from deep in the nest.

Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA

Trachymyrmex turrifex queen in the fungus garden.

Austin, Texas, USA

Trachymyrmex sp. worker carrying a bit of vegetative detritus as fodder for the fungus garden.

Refugio de Vida Silvestre La Aurora del Palmar, Entre Rios, Argentina

Trachymyrmex septentrionalis. Trachymyrmex are the closest relatives of the larger leafcutting ants. While they normally use dead vegetative debris to cultivate their fungus, these ants will sometimes use living plant matter.

Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA

Trachymyrmex septentrionalis. Fungus-growing ants use a variety of substrates to nourish their cultivars, but caterpillar frass is one of the richest.

Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA

Trachymyrmex arizonensis foundress queen in her incipient fungus garden. Notice the fine white hyphae of the mutualistic fungus as it grows over the substrate of vegetative debris she has provided for it.

Tucson, Arizona, USA

Trachymyrmex septentrionalis worker carrying sand excavated from deep in the nest.

Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA

Trachymyrmex septentrionalis in the fungus garden.

Laboratory colony at the University of Texas

Trachymyrmex septentrionalis. Fungus-growing ants use a variety of substrates to nourish their cultivars, but caterpillar frass is one of the richest.

Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA

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Keywords: bugs insect insects detritus ecology foraging formicidae myrmicinae worker ant attini frass trachymyrmex fungus growing ant trachymyrmex septentrionalis gardening ant ant garden substrate

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Farming Ants: Leafcutters and Fungus Growers

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