Atta
is the most conspicuous leaf-cutting ant of the new world tropics and subtropics. These large, spiny insects are farmers- they use freshly cut vegetation to cultivate a fungus in subterranean gardens. Colonies are among the most complex insect societies known: nests can persist for decades and contain over a million individuals.
Piles of excavated soil atop a nest of the Texas Leafcutter Ant, Atta texana. This species is sometimes called the "town ant" for the size of its nest.
Smithville, Texas, USA
Piles of excavated soil atop a nest of the Texas Leafcutter Ant, Atta texana. This species is sometimes called the "town ant" for the size of its nest.
Smithville, Texas, USA
Canon EOS 20D |
Original size: 3504x2332 |
Current: 800x533 |
