"Nature is extraordinarily tough and resilient, interlaced with checks and balances, with an astonishing capacity for recovering from disturbances in equilibrium. The formula for survival is not power; it is symbiosis."-Sir Eric Ashby
Leaf cutting ants are a group of species found in tropical and subtropical regions. They are named for their remarkable behaviour of cutting leaves with their powerful jaws and carrying sections of leaves back to their nests. Leaf cutting ants are known for their exceptional strength and often carry leaf fragments which are several times their own body weight. These ants are highly organised and live in large colonies of millions. The colonies typically consist of different castes, including workers, soldiers as well as reproductive ants.
The leaf-cutter ants have been farming for 50 Million Years and their crop of choice is the Lepiotaceae fungus. These ants carve out pieces of leaves and carry them back home to feed the fungus which they cultivate in their nests. The fungus is important to the ants as it breaks down plant polymers which the ant's digestive enzymes can not. This ant-fungus symbiosis is thought to have originated in the Amazon basin. If the fungus fails to thrive, the colony perishes and without ants, the fungus also does not survive.
Furthermore, these ants play a significant role in nutrient cycling as well as soil fertility by breaking down plant material and depositing nutrient-rich waste in the soil. While leaf cutting ants are generally considered beneficial for ecosystems, they can also damage crops in certain situations.
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