How do leafcutter ants grow food with fungus instead of farming plants?
Quick Answer
Leafcutter ants cut leaves not to eat them directly, but to feed a fungus they cultivate underground. The fungus turns the plant material into food that the ants can digest.
The Full Story
Leafcutter ants, especially in the genera Atta and Acromyrmex, are among the best-known insect farmers. They bring plant pieces back to their nests, chew them into pulp, and use them to cultivate a specialized fungus. The ants eat fungal growth, not the leaves themselves, and they also weed and protect their fungal gardens from harmful microbes. This farming system has evolved independently and is one of the most complex mutualisms in nature.
Key Facts
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"Ant farmers: the insects that grow their own food"
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