Mycetosoritis hartmanni alate queen in a laboratory nest. Texas, USA

The intricate galleries of a fungus garden of Mycetosoritis hartmanni in a laboratory colony. Texas, USA

Mycetosoritis hartmanni Texas, USA

Mycetosoritis hartmanni nest entrance. Smithville, Texas, USA

Mycetosoritis hartmanni nest, cutaway of the soil to reveal a pair of golf ball-sized fungus gardens. Smithville, Texas, USA

A half meter underground, a small colony of Mycesoritis hartmanni cultivates their fungus in a garden hung from the chamber ceiling. Smithville, Texas, USA

A half meter underground, a small colony of Mycetosoritis hartmanni cultivates their fungus in a garden hung from the chamber ceiling. The fungus is visible here as the white, stringy material growing between the bits of detritus that the ants have fed to it. Smithville, Texas, USA

Mycetosoritis hartmanni in their subterranean fungus garden. The fungus- a white stringy material- grows between the bits of debris fed to it by the ants. The ants then feed from the fungus- a true agricultural system. Smithville, Texas, USA

Mycetosoritis hartmanni in their subterranean fungus garden. The fungus- a white stringy material- grows between the bits of debris fed to it by the ants. The ants then feed from the fungus- a true agricultural system. Smithville, Texas, USA