Leafcutter ants

Leafcutter ants walk in rows back and forth from the source of the leaves to their nests. Here are a few ants on their procession back to their home. The leaves they are carrying are much larger than their bodies.

These ants were walking across a branch. It is more common to see trails of ants walking in the forest floor. Sometimes there are so many leafcutter ants carrying leaves across the ground that it looks like a small green river.

The ants that forage for leaves are subject to attack by a tiny fly parasite that lays its eggs in the crevaces of the ant's head. Sometimes small ants will ride on the larger ants to help defend them from attack. Tomorrow, I will reveal why the ants carry leaves back to their nests.