alexwild > A mature leafcutter colony contains more than a million individual ants and can defoliate an entire tree overnight.  Here a busy trail of Atta cephalotes carries cut vegetation back to the nest.  Note the small ants riding atop the leaves- these stand guard against parasitic Phorid flies attempting to attack the preoccupied leaf-carriers. Ecuador.
alexwild > A mature colony of millions of leafcutter ants can consume as much vegetation per day as can a cow.  Here a trail of ants brings home a stready steam of leaves to feed their underground fungus.

Atta cephalotes. Ecuador.
A mature leafcutter colony contains more than a million individual ants and can defoliate an entire tree overnight. Here a busy trail of Atta cephalotes carries cut vegetation back to the nest. Note the small ants riding atop the leaves- these stand guard against parasitic Phorid flies attempting to attack the preoccupied leaf-carriers. Ecuador.
alexwild > A mature leafcutter colony contains more than a million individual ants and can defoliate an entire tree overnight.  Here a busy trail of Atta cephalotes carries cut vegetation back to the nest.  Note the small ants riding atop the leaves- these stand guard against parasitic Phorid flies attempting to attack the preoccupied leaf-carriers. Ecuador.
A mature leafcutter colony contains more than a million individual ants and can defoliate an entire tree overnight. Here a busy trail of Atta cephalotes carries cut vegetation back to the nest. Note the small ants riding atop the leaves- these stand guard against parasitic Phorid flies attempting to attack the preoccupied leaf-carriers. Ecuador.
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all images and text © Alex Wild 2008

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