Atta texana leafcutter ant queen in the fungus garden.

Laboratory colony at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Atta texana Texas leafcutter ant, queen and workers in the fungus garden. In addition to the massize size difference between the mother queen and her daughters, note the difference in size among workers, each specialized for a different task in the nest.

Laboratory colony at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Some Cyphomyrmex species cultivate their fungus as a yeast, visible here as little white globules.

Mindo, Ecuador
Some species of Cyphomyrmex fungus-growing ants are unusual in cultivating their fungus in yeast form. Rather than spongy white mycelia, the gardens of these ants are full of bite-sized white yeast globules.

Mindo, Ecuador
Some Cyphomyrmex species cultivate their fungus as a yeast, visible here as little white globules.

Mindo, Ecuador
Some species of Cyphomyrmex fungus-growing ants are unusual in cultivating their fungus in yeast form. Rather than spongy white mycelia, the gardens of these ants are full of bite-sized white yeast globules.

Mindo, Ecuador
An Acromyrmex echinatior leafcutter worker displays a microbial white patch on her underside made of Actinomyces bacteria. The bacteria are thought to produce antibiotics protecting the ants' fungus garden from infection- a true example of pesticide use among agricultural insects.

Panama; Laboratory colony at the University of Wisconsin at Madison
Acromyrmex echinatior leafcutter worker with Actinomyces bacteria on its chest. The bacteria are thought to produce antibiotics protecting the ants' fungus garden from infection.

Panama; Laboratory colony at the University of Wisconsin at Madison
An Acromyrmex echinatior leafcutter worker displays a microbial white patch on her underside made of Actinomyces bacteria. The bacteria are thought to produce antibiotics protecting the ants' fungus garden from infection- a true example of pesticide use among agricultural insects.

Panama; Laboratory colony at the University of Wisconsin at Madison
Acromyrmex echinatior leafcutter worker with Actinomyces bacteria on its chest. The bacteria are thought to produce antibiotics protecting the ants' fungus garden from infection.

Panama; Laboratory colony at the University of Wisconsin at Madison
Acromyrmex echinatior leafcutter worker with Actinomyces bacteria on its chest. The bacteria are thought to produce antibiotics protecting the ants' fungus garden from infection.

Panama; Laboratory colony at the University of Wisconsin at Madison
Acromyrmex echinatior leafcutter worker with Actinomyces bacteria on its chest. The bacteria are thought to produce antibiotics protecting the ants' fungus garden from infection.

Panama; Laboratory colony at the University of Wisconsin at Madison
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all images and text © Alex Wild 2001-2013