2008, Costa Rica Selection, Insect and Arachnid

Leaf-cutting ant

Leaf-cutting ant, Costa Rica

Also known as mushroom ants, the leaf-cutting ants live in tropical regions. These ants mainly feed themselves with a special mushroom they plant inside their anthill. This mushroom grows on substrate composed of leaves collected then chewed by leaf-cutting ants.
The photographed ant brings some pieces of leaves to the anthill. The ant is capable of lifting hundred times its own weight, so the illegal passengers who climbed up the leaf should not be a problem for the ant.