Queen or soldier - how to understand who appeared in the formicarium

When you hear the word ant, almost everyone will have a picture of an ordinary small, small black ant, or its red forest counterpart.

However, among the large number of these insects, there are also ants that, despite their small size, are capable of sowing horror and panic not only among people, but also among animals. We are talking about an army ant soldier.

Soldier ants (Eciton burchellii).

Appearance of harvester ants and their habitat

The body of insects consists of three parts - the head, thorax and abdomen. They are connected to each other by movable jumpers, which makes the reapers very flexible. There are three pairs of limbs on the chest. The large head has powerful jaws - mandibles, which are convenient for carrying food and grinding seeds and grains. The color of the ants is dark, reddish-brown. Their length is considered one of the largest among other families of ants: worker ants have a length of 4 to 9 mm, while the queen reaches truly enormous sizes - from 11 to 15 mm.

The steppe ant differs from other representatives of the ant family by its characteristic reddish-orange color

Harvester ants live in steppes, semi-deserts and deserts in Asia, North and South Africa and America.

Taxonomy

Historically, "army ant" broadly referred to various members of five different subfamilies of ants. In two of these cases, Ponerinae and Myrmicinae, only a few species and genera exhibit legionary behavior; in three other lineages, Ecitoninae, Dorylinae, and Leptanillinae, all constitute Legionnaires species. More recently, ant classifications now recognize an additional New World subfamily, Leptanilloidinae, which also consists of obligate legionnaire species, as does another group now included among the army ants.[27]

A 2003 study of thirty species (Sean Brady of Cornell University) indicates that army ants of the subfamilies Ecitoninae (South America), Dorylinae (Africa), and Aenictinae (Asia) together formed a monophyletic group based on evidence from three molecular genes and one mitochondrial gene. Brady concluded that these groups thus represent a single lineage that arose in the mid-Cretaceous of Gondwana. Thus, these subfamilies are now generally grouped under the single subfamily Ecitoninae, although this is still not generally accepted.[29]

Accordingly, the army ants currently recognized consist of the following genera:

Subfamily Dorylinae (Aenictinae, Aenictogitoninae, Cerapachyinae, Ecitoninae and Leptanilloidinae, 2014)[30]

• Enictus
• Asphinctanilloids
• Heliomyrmex
• Dorilus
• Eciton
• Labidus
• Leptanilloids
• Neyvamirmex
• Nomamirmex

Subfamily Leptanillinae

• Anomalomyrma
• Leptanilla
• Faulomirma
• Protanilla
• Yavnella

Subfamily Myrmicinae

• Phidologeton

Subfamily Ponerinae

• Leptogenis
  (some species)
• Simopelta

Subfamily Amblyoponinae

• Onychomyrmex

How is an anthill organized?

In a colony of harvester ants there is a strict hierarchy: each family member is busy with his own business. The family consists of a queen - she produces offspring, soldiers - they protect the anthill from dangers and help with harvesting, worker ants - they are engaged in obtaining food and caring for the young. There are also males and females - they mate with each other, creating new colonies.

From the outside, the anthill's shape resembles a volcano

The ground part of the ants' home is a hole in the soil, along the edges of which there is a shaft of earth and debris from the prey they bring. The underground part has a vertical tunnel, from which passages with cameras extend on the sides. In these rooms, ants set up pantries for storing food and “children’s rooms” in which they store larvae.

Army ant nutrition

This type of ant eats everything that comes in its way. What’s especially scary is that, due to their blindness, they even attack victims that are a thousand times their size. An animal that comes across on the way, which did not think to get out of the way in time, or is simply sleeping, they attack the whole squad at once. Thus, the victim does not even have time to understand what is happening, he is dismembered and eaten alive. These insects do not require poisonous stings or the use of ballistic acid; they act on the psyche of the animal, causing it boundless panic.

The army ant's body is dark red in color.

If you believe scientists, then soldier ants do this not because they are very hungry, but simply everything that comes their way appears to them as a threat to the existence of the entire colony.

What do harvester ants eat?

Particular attention should be paid to the feeding and extraction of food by the reapers. Since they most often feed on grain crops, ants were long thought to be agricultural pests. However, research has shown that insects only harvest crops that directly fall to the ground.

Reserves

The gathering of provisions is very interesting among the reapers. As stated earlier, the harvesting of grain occurs when it is on the ground.

The workforce collects about 1.5 kg of grain crops from the fields in one season

Scientists have found that harvester ants send out workers as much as there is available food. If there is a lot of it, then the workers return faster and the number of ants sent for food increases. But if they return slowly, then the number of ants sent out decreases or stops altogether.

To store grain, hardworking reapers set up special rooms deep underground. In damp, warm rooms, the seeds begin to germinate, and as soon as the first sprouts and roots appear, the ants immediately destroy the shoots. After this, large soldier ants grind the grain into powder with their powerful jaws and, moistening it with saliva, feed this mixture to the larvae.

Army Ant Lifestyle

In their own way, these insects are unique creatures of nature. They do not need any anthills, and they do not build them, since they are nomadic insects. They got their name due to the fact that the ant colony consists of about a million individuals; in reality, it is just a mobile battalion. While the queen is busy breeding offspring, the ants scour the entire area in order to provide themselves and the future generation with food.

Soldier ants do not need any anthills.

Another feature that sets them apart from other ants is their ability to use their bodies to create organic architectural structures. Clinging to each other, they form any structure that will be used for the benefit of the entire colony. These are not only living “walls” that protect their offspring and their queen from bad weather, but also bridges that make it possible to overcome any obstacle.

Reproduction and lifespan of harvester ants

There is one queen in each ant nest. Mating occurs in early spring in April, as the reapers settle in the steppes with a warm climate. After fertilization of the uterus, the male dies, and the female goes to look for a suitable place to found a new colony. A full-fledged workforce appears by the end of summer.

The development cycle of ants is complete: egg - larva - pupa - adult

The first three stages take place in 2–3 weeks each. Reapers reproduce in two ways - sexual and asexual. At the first stage, males and females are born, which are needed for further reproduction. Asexual reproduction is called parthenogenesis, that is, the female reproductive cell develops into an adult organism without fertilization by a male. With such reproduction, only worker ants are born.

Larval development

After fertilization, after some time, the uterus lays eggs. After this, they are moved to separate chambers and ensure that favorable conditions are maintained. The division into worker castes occurs already at the moment the larvae hatch from the eggs. Which caste the future individual will belong to depends on how much food the larva consumes.

The well-being of future worker ants is ensured by breadwinners and caregivers

The young generation is constantly growing and pupates in 1–2 months. The pupa has a thin shell, which allows you to monitor the development of the insect. At the last stage, a full-fledged ant appears, which lives from one to five years.

Content

• 1 Morphology 1.1 Workers
• 1.2 Soldiers
• 1.3 Males
• 1.4 Queen

How to keep harvester ants at home

Nowadays, many people, as a hobby, start so-called ant farms, which are transparent boxes made of plastic or glass. Inside them there is an imitation of an anthill - numerous passages and chambers.

Thanks to the transparency of the walls, it is possible to study the life of insects in detail.

Purchasing an anthill - what kinds of anthills there are, their cost

A home anthill, or formicarium, looks like an aquarium or a display case with filler inside. There are simple and complex systems in which a climate favorable for the life and reproduction of ants is automatically created and maintained: lighting, humidity and temperature. There are different sizes - from small tabletop farms to bulky anthills for the living room or office. Various fillers are used for formicaria: gel, gypsum or a mixture of soil and sand.

Hierarchy of ants

• Fact:
  Each resident of the anthill has his own specific responsibilities, but all efforts are aimed at only one thing - the protection, strengthening and prosperity of his large family.
• Fact 2:
  Some ant species have insect soldiers that are unable to feed on their own. The workers are forced to feed them.
• Fact 3:
  Worker ants are divided into several subgroups within their group. Who performs what duties depends on the individual qualities of each insect.
• Fact 4:
  A little ant is able to lift and carry weight 50 times its own! And if several insects join forces, the number increases to 70-80!

Steppe harvester ants (Messor structor): maintenance and care, what to feed at home

Hello! Today the main character of the article is steppe harvester ants (Messor constructor) . I'll tell you about maintenance, care, what to feed, and how to moisturize. My journey as a keeper began with harvester ants, because the species does not require care. Still, there are factors due to which the colony is doomed, so read the material to the end to save nerves, time and the life of your pets.

Symbionts

Many army ant species are widely considered keystone species due to the large number of vertebrates and invertebrates that rely on army ant colonies for nutrition or protection.[24] When hunting, many army ants raiding the surface are accompanied by a variety of birds, such as antbirds, thrushes, ovenbirds, and wrens, which eat the insects that the ants flush out, a behavior known as kleptoparasitism.[25] A wide variety of arthropods, including rove beetles and mites also monitor the colonies. The Neotropical army ant Eciton burchellii

has between 350 and 500 animal partners, most of the species known to science.[26]

general information

From Latin messor - reaper, structor - builder. Reaper builder. They got their name because they live in the steppes and feed on the grains of steppe plants. They build anthills, which are a deep vertical passage. They often dig down to groundwater, which is why they even inhabit deserts.

Belongs to the tribe Pheidolini as part of the Myrmicinae subfamily. They are the largest representatives in their family. The genus Messor includes 110 species of ants adapted to life in the desert zone on almost all continents. Thus, 30 species live in Europe alone, 5 of them in Russia:

• Messor aciculatus;
• Messor denticulatus;
• Messor kasakorum;
• Messor rufitarsis;
• Messor constructor.

The size of the colony reaches up to 5,000 individuals.

One anthill can destroy up to 2000 pests. This is a huge benefit for plants.

Introduction

One day, after watching a BBC film about the life of ants on the Internet, I became interested in these creatures and began to look for more information about them. Then I wanted to observe with my own eyes the life of ants and find out how they behave in different situations. At the preparatory stage of the study, I studied information about the systematic position of the species, its distribution and lifestyle, reproductive biology and communication. Then I purchased an artificial anthill ( formicarium

), as well as its inhabitants - the steppe species of harvester ants.

I set myself a goal - to study the behavior of different individuals of the ant family in simulated situations. To do this, I had to solve the following problems

:

– create favorable conditions for ants to live in the formicarium;

– observe the behavior of ants in normal and simulated situations;

– compare the results of observations;

– summarize the information received.

The object of my research is ants of the species Messor constructor

.

The subject of the study is the reaction of ants to various stimuli.

I used available research methods such as observation, experiment, comparison, generalization.

I assumed that different individuals of the ant family perform certain functions and have their own characteristics in behavior.

Features of appearance and structure

Reapers have developed polymorphism. The colony is divided into classes:

• Uterus (15 mm);
• Worker ant (4-9 mm);
• Transitional form (10 mm);
• Soldier ant (11 mm).

The connection between the abdomen and the rest of the body is thin and seemingly fragile. There is evidence that the uterus died after falling from a small height. It doesn't sound plausible. There is a sting, but it is reduced. They don't use it.

There is a transitional form between the soldier and the working individual. They are formed due to a lack of protein for the development of full-fledged soldiers. They are already developing massive occipital muscles, which are responsible for the work of the lower jaws.

The species is not aggressive; the soldiers are essentially millers. With their huge jaws, the ants grind large seeds into flour, which is then mixed with saliva. Both ants and larvae feed on the mixture.

Ant social classes

Ants
The many different activities performed for the normal functioning of the ant family have led to the emergence of different classes of insects. Each individual strictly performs only its own duties, without trying to interfere in the affairs of a comrade. It is difficult to say whether these class layers can be classified as castes of ants, since in the “traditional” understanding, caste is a rather closed world.

What to feed harvester ants

Evolutionarily, Messor structor has adapted to feed on grains of steppe plants. Mostly, they collect grains that have fallen to the ground. If they encounter an insect along the way, they can deal with it, because it is an additional source of protein.

Carbohydrates are needed by adult workers to serve the colony, protein primarily by larvae to grow, and by the queen to lay eggs.

If you feed only seeds, this will be enough for the development of the colony, but the queen will not lay eggs as often, and the workers and soldiers will be smaller. I think everyone loves the reapers because of the soldiers with their huge jaws. I try to add live protein to my diet.

What seeds to give

Everything that grows in the steppes. If the colony is young, there is a queen and a dozen workers, then give poppy seeds. The fact is that the first generation is smaller. It is difficult for them to crack large seeds. After the soldier ants appear, feel free to treat them with huge seeds. Their jaws can handle any grain.

I found on the Internet the results of testing on 30 colonies of one keeper. Next, I will give a table with the results. I feed with purchased formula, now I sell it myself. Additionally, I give a medicine beetle once a week.

How to Make Reaper Feeding Mix

We take equal amounts of pumpkin seeds, millet, poppy seeds, and flax. It comes in white and brown, the only difference being that white is less mature than brown. Amaranth, hemp seed, mustard, rapeseed.

I mix it in equal proportions and feed it to the ants.

The craftsman also gave vegetables and fruits to the ants. What happened is what happened. Let's look and study.

In addition to seeds, harvester ants are given food insects. I use medicine beetle larvae. Of course, the choice is much wider.

Food insects for reapers

Cockroaches (Turkmen, Madagascar, Argentine, Surinamese, marbled); Larvae of the medicine beetle and zofobas;

Flies and pupae. Fly larvae, maggots (there is an opinion that maggots are poisonous, rather very lively and dangerous).

Let me add that it is better to give insects to ants already wounded or slightly crushed. This is done to reduce casualties among ants. Until they can mobilize about 200 individuals for hunting. When the colony grows up, it will be able to cope with the enemy on its own.

In my case, the living food for harvester ants is the medicine beetle. This is enough for the development of the colony, and there is no fear that cockroaches will breed throughout the apartment. There is such a fear, but sooner or later I will buy Madagascar ones.

You can also try gammarus. It is sold as fish food. Its nutritional value will be lower than that of live food insects. Gammarus is a dried crustacean, which in the process of dehydration loses many vitamins in the flesh to the destruction of amino acids, but without fish, the cancer is a fish.

Fly - 100% - Maggot - 10% (there is an opinion that it is poisonous. It is not poisonous. But it is covered with sticky mucus, so hunters often simply kill while spending more time on self-cleaning. At the same time, the maggot itself is dangerous in battle (even when pierced by a needle, it resists fiercely. ) consists mostly of fat, so it is not suitable for small families, and is not particularly important for large ones.)

After such a list, I want to warn you. Caught insects can introduce parasites into the formicarium. Then you will have to withdraw, it’s a different story and money.

It is absolutely not necessary to give syrup and honey. Soldier ants grind large grains into flour. Ants get all their nutrients from grains.

Observe the colony; if there is no offspring or the workers eat it, it means the colony does not have enough protein.

Gathering

An entire colony of army ants can consume up to 500,000 prey animals each day, so can have a significant impact on the population size, diversity and behavior of their prey.[17] The choice of prey depends on the species. Underground species hunt mainly terrestrial inhabitants. arthropods and their larvae, earthworms, and sometimes also juvenile vertebrates, turtle eggs or oily seeds. Most colony robber species specialize in the offspring of other ants and wasps. Only a few species appear to have the very broad prey range observed in raiding species. Even these species do not eat all types of animals. Although small vertebrates caught in the raid will be killed, the jaws of the American Eciton

are not suitable for this type of prey, unlike African
Dorilus
. These unwanted victims are simply left behind and eaten by scavengers or flies accompanying the ant swarm. Only a few species hunt primarily on the surface of the ground; They search for their prey mainly in fallen leaves and low vegetation. About five species hunt in higher trees, where they can attack birds and their eggs, although they focus on hunting other social insects along with their eggs and larvae. Army ant colonies are large compared to those of other Formicidae. Colonies can have over 15 million workers and can transport 3,000 loot (items) per hour during a raid.[13][18]

When field ants feed, the resulting trails can be more than 20 m wide and more than 100 m long.[18] They stay on the path thanks to the concentration gradient of pheromones. The concentration of pheromones is highest in the middle of the trail, dividing the trail into two distinct areas: an area of ​​high concentration and two areas of low pheromone concentration. Departing ants will occupy the outer two stripes, and returning ants will occupy the center stripe.[18] It has also been found that returning worker ants release more pheromones than those leaving the nest, causing differences in pheromone concentration in the trails.[19] Pheromones will make foraging much more efficient, allowing army ants to avoid their previous paths and the paths of their relatives.[17]

During feeding, army ants cause many invertebrates to flee from their hiding places under the leaves of the forest floor, under the bark of trees and other similar places, making them easier for predators to catch. For example, in the rainforests of Panama, swarms of army ants attract many species of birds to this feast of flying insects, spiders, scorpions, worms and other animals. Some of these birds are called "antbirds" because of this tendency.[20] Focused on feeding on these invertebrates, birds in army ant swarms usually allow people to get very close - within 1-2 meters in many cases - often providing the best opportunities to see many of these species. Depending on the size of the anthill and the amount of prey that the ants breed, the number of birds can range from several to several dozen individuals. Birds that are often found in army ant swarms include snow deer, red damsel, red ground cuckoo, gray-hooded railing, solid brown tree shoot, northern lattice woodland, cocoa woody plant, black-striped woodcreeper, charmed anthill, anthill crown, spotted anthill, two-colored anthill, ocellated anthill, chestnut anthill, black-faced anthill, and hoary tanager.[21]

Development speed of harvester ants

• Egg (1-3 weeks)
• Larva (1-3 weeks)
• Pupa (1-3 weeks)
• Adult (3 months – 3 years)

Eggs, as I noticed, appear immediately in large volume. And they stick together into a ball, most likely for ease of movement.

The larva hatches and grows. This is the most important stage at which it is decided who she will become: a worker or a soldier. The more the squirrel eats, the larger it will be. Ants constantly feed, carry, and moisturize it. It's fun to watch.

The pupa is motionless and helpless. Reapers do not have a cocoon as such. First, the colorless outline of the ant appears, the eyes begin to turn black, and soon the body turns brown.

A young ant differs from its fellows in being lighter in color. After 3-5 days, it can no longer be distinguished from other ants. At this stage, the ant stops growing. Most likely, it is overgrown with powerful chitin.

The journey from egg to ant takes 1-2 months. Depends on conditions, quality and quantity of feed. Adults can live up to 3 years, in nature often several months. Features of behavior

Harvester ants are messy creatures that leave a lot of trash. They feed on grain, leaving a lot of husk and skin behind. Some seeds are simply thrown into the trash. The trash can may be placed next to the living cells. So you don’t have to go far, there is logic in all actions.

One day, I watched a reaper compacting garbage. He lay down on the border between clean and dirty, moving the garbage with his paws. like children drawing butterflies in the snow. After which the ant took several steps forward or sideways and lay down on its abdomen to “draw a butterfly.” It looked funny, it's a pity I didn't take a photo.

They themselves are not aggressive, but they can stand up for themselves; if an enemy of the colony comes, they will sort it out.

Considered to be a cowardly, slow species. They are afraid of light, vibrations and in general everything that looks at them. Many keepers joke that the reapers don’t need to be covered, because at most one scout will escape. I will say this, the scout will not be alone, and if they find a more comfortable place, it will not be so easy to return. I caught scouts on the table several times.

One day, an ant crawled into closed compartments. Hoping that he would return home, he opened the hole. The whole colony immediately rushed there. I closed the compartment. It turned out that if I open a hole, all the ants run there. If not, he will die of hunger.

I ended up killing two ants trying to quickly open and close the deadbolt.

After some thought, I simply removed the rivet. An hour later, the uterus and offspring had already moved to the new cast. Everyone is happy.

Larvae and eggs are a separate issue. Nannies run around with them all day. They drag you from one cell to another. It’s especially noticeable when you add water. They may even hang on the ceiling with them. I would say that they have a cult of caring for offspring.

If you didn’t have the strength to read the article, then I’ll summarize:

The basis of the reapers' diet is grain. Add some live protein, preferably in the form of food insects. Regularly moisten the formicarium, while making sure that mold does not grow in it.

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Hydration

Humidification is standard, like all ants. We take an acrylic formicarium and fill one of the chambers next to the humidification hole. Plaster or alabaster is used as a humidifier. Very similar things.

It's a good idea to add a water trough to the arena. You can do it with a nanosponge or cotton wool. The mandibles can get tangled in the cotton wool. If you place a water source with open access, you can be sure that the ants will go for a swim. Moisture stimulates them to reproduce.

Most ants settle in late spring or summer. Since the reapers live in the steppes. In summer, flying conditions are not the most favorable. Due to low humidity and high temperatures.

The Reapers have found an ingenious solution; they raise the young generation in late summer and autumn. The winged generation overwinters in the anthill, and flies in early spring.

Notes

1. “There are also interesting [evolutionary] convergences within ants. Although most ant colonies live a sedentary life in a fixed nest, it appears that one can successfully make a living by wandering around in vast marauding armies. This is called the legionnaires' habit. "(Dawkins 1986)
2. “Because army ants are found almost everywhere, scientists hypothesized that they evolved many times after the breakup and dispersal of the supercontinent Gondwana just over 100 million years ago. The traditional view of the evolution of army ants needs to be revised due to new data obtained by Sean Brady, an entomologist at Cornell University, USA, who discovered that these ants descended from a common ancestor ". White House 2003)[28]

Behavior

The food for leaf-cutter ants is a basidiomycete fungus. It is grown in special chambers that are located inside the anthill. The nests are built in such a way as to create optimal conditions for maintaining the necessary humidity and creating ventilation for growing the fungus.

Insects carry pieces of plants from everywhere, which, after chewing and fermentation, become a breeding ground for the fungus.

As the anthill grows, there is a clear division into groups of soldiers, workers and gatherers. From each group, individuals are identified that are engaged in specific operations.

Over time, castes are formed, the members of which can differ greatly from each other in appearance and purpose. Small foragers bring pieces of plants from nearby places, and large ones, on the contrary, from more distant places.

Having found a suitable plant, the insect uses its mandibles to separate it from unnecessary fragments and takes it to the nest. Often, worker ants ride on top of the pieces to drive away parasites. They also carry out work in internal chambers.

The nest and its population are protected by large and strong soldiers. Large working individuals crumble the brought greens, and small ones chew them into even smaller pieces and fertilize the mycelium with them. Very small worker ants prepare mushroom food for the queen and other ants.

What are the agricultural activities of insects

You might think that leaf cutters collect leaves for food. This opinion is wrong. Ants are unable to digest tough plant fibers. The collected leaves are chewed by a certain caste of insects. The resulting plant mass is stored in specially designated areas in the anthill, where favorable conditions are maintained.

A fungus begins to grow on the plant matter, which is food for insects. The ant does not eat the fruiting bodies of mushrooms. Only mycelium is required.

The ant bites off the fruiting bodies at the initial stage of their development. For insects, this is a waste of resources and does not provide any nutritional value. The leaf cutter's saliva contains a number of antibacterial substances that help destroy harmful microorganisms that pose a danger to the mycelium.

There are a huge number of types of leaf cutters

In total, there are about 200 species of ants in the world that grow mushrooms. Some are done on dead animals or feces. Leaf cutters use the most accessible and simple material. Leaf cutters are considered pests. In places where they live they can destroy all the foliage on trees and shrubs.

Your own vegetable garden

Their process of destroying foliage is very interesting. Some individuals trim the leaf from the cutting, then other ants approach it, specializing in gnawing out small pieces and dragging them into the house. Separate rooms of the anthill are reserved for growing mushrooms. And the leaves serve as a nutrient medium. To make mushrooms grow better, these insects use special fertilizers - their excrement, which they place on each leaf. But ants don't just eat mushrooms. They make sure they don't grow too big and trim them regularly. Then drops form at the site of the cut, which serve as food for them. The ants lick these drops, and their saliva, which contains large amounts of antibiotics, destroys harmful fungi and bacteria that can damage their mycelium. To ensure that the entire colony has enough food, these insects can grow about 100 mushrooms. Moreover, one weighs about 500 grams.

Females are more important

The leaf-cutter ant, whose lifestyle is certainly interesting, also reproduces in an original way. To raise insects capable of reproduction, special individuals fatten the larvae, adding special substances to their food that stimulate sexual development. The females and males that grow from these larvae mate with each other. Moreover, the female needs a large amount of sperm, so she mates with several males. After mating, which lasts only one day, the males die.

Difficult pests

At first glance, it seems that these insects cause only harm. Indeed, if there are too many of them, perhaps they will be able to eat the entire forest. That is, over time they will turn our planet into a desert. However, this does not happen. Apparently, nature itself maintains a certain balance. After all, leaf-cutter ants have natural enemies that prevent them from spreading too much. People also fight these insects, preventing them from approaching cultivated crops. To do this, their nests are destroyed using chemicals, and metal, plastic or water barriers are installed around the trees. Under natural conditions, the underground activity of leaf-cutter ants even contributes to the enrichment of soil layers and the acceleration of metabolic processes in the ecosystem. In addition, leaf-cutter ants themselves have become food for humans. Fried insects have long been eaten in South America and other countries.

Nowadays, we don’t have any kind of pets! For some people, these are leaf-cutter ants. Of course, they do not live in a garden plot, but in special insectariums in which special conditions have been created. These insects are interesting to watch, but still they must live in their natural habitat. If you are not planning to travel to South America anytime soon, you can see leaf-cutter ants at the Moscow Zoo.

Lifestyle

The ant is a hard worker, this phrase also applies to leaf cutters. To feed their colony, ants need to put in a lot of effort. Having climbed the tree, the insect clasps the leaf plate with its limbs, after which it begins to cut off pieces of the leaf with its mandibles. Clutching the load with its mandibles, the ant heads back to the anthill.

The cut leaves are processed by a special caste of insects. As a result, carefully chewed coarse fiber produces leaf pulp, richly flavored with ant enzymes contained in saliva.

Interesting!

The saliva of leaf cutters contains an antibiotic, which promotes the growth of pathogenic microorganisms in mushroom beds.

The resulting mass is placed by insects in special chambers in which the necessary microclimate is maintained. The foliage mixture is infected with a special fungus and fertilized regularly.

After some time, the surface of the underground greenhouse is covered with mycelium, which looks like a sponge. At the initial stages of mushroom development, ants chew them off and throw them away. The resulting cut begins to actively secrete juice, which is a favorite delicacy of insects. Over time, these places harden and increase in area. They turn into a thick brush of transparent protein bodies, which is called “ant kohlrabi”. It is this fungal culture that serves as food for leaf cutter ants. For this reason, these insects are also called mushroom growers.

Benefit or harm

Ant colonies can very densely populate the territory chosen for housing. To minimize the damage caused by leaf cutters, not only chemical protection products are used,

but also mechanical methods. A fairly effective method of combating leaf-cutting ants is the direct destruction of their nests. Metal or plastic fences, as well as the use of water barriers, showed the greatest effectiveness. The damage caused to garden crops is practically not felt in the rural areas. The activity of leaf cutters in wild natural conditions not only contributes to the enrichment of soil layers, but also accelerates all metabolic processes occurring in the ecosystem.

Large specimens of leaf cutters have long become food in some countries. Residents in South America collect this type of ant and eat it fried.