Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Ant Crossing: April Theme Day

The Daily Photo first-of-the-month Theme Day for April is "yellow." I wanted to choses a photo that is expressive of Costa Rica, so I selected this "Ant Crossing" sign from the butterfly farm at Monteverde.
You can see ants crossing along the branch, including one ant carrying a leaf. Better photos of leaf cutter ants and their dirt mound are below.

Leaf cutter ants do not eat the leaves that they carry back to their nest. They feed the leaves to a fungus that they cultivate underground and the ants eat the fungus. I have a mental image of an underground blob that looks like Jobba the Hut being fed leaves, with ants gnawing around its edges.
Leaf cutter ants know what types of leaves the fungus likes, and what types of leaves are poisonous to the fungus. Sometimes in the forest there are so many leaf cutter ants carrying leaves that it looks like the ground is moving.

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants">
at

15 comments:

  1. brattcatApril 1, 2009 at 3:29 AM

    The Ant Crossing photo is excellent. And a super choice for theme day.

    ReplyDelete
  2. MarieApril 1, 2009 at 4:07 AM

    Wonderful choice. They are so brave!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. SallyApril 1, 2009 at 4:10 AM

    A very different road sign!
    Sydney Daily Photo

    ReplyDelete
  4. Julie ScottsdaleDailyPhoto.comApril 1, 2009 at 6:07 AM

    LOL, a very cute road sign indeed!

    ReplyDelete
  5. KateApril 1, 2009 at 6:15 AM

    I was trying to determine the Spanish translation of "ant" when I first saw this on the portal. Funny. It's a fascinating story. If all humans worked like ants, I wonder what our world would be like?!

    ReplyDelete
  6. SharonApril 1, 2009 at 6:32 AM

    I love this little road sign. How clever to mark the place the ants are crossing.

    ReplyDelete
  7. JillyApril 1, 2009 at 6:36 AM

    Well, this has to win the most original post of the day. How fantastic. Love it!

    ReplyDelete
  8. JudyApril 1, 2009 at 9:34 AM

    That is a clever and fun post for theme day!

    ReplyDelete
  9. ShantaramApril 1, 2009 at 11:24 AM

    Oh, yes, a lovely roadsign in highway yellow!

    ReplyDelete
  10. crocrodylApril 1, 2009 at 12:52 PM

    Wonderful! Great!

    ReplyDelete
  11. valeriaApril 1, 2009 at 2:00 PM

    This is absolutely cute! LOL

    ReplyDelete
  12. JillApril 1, 2009 at 10:29 PM

    I remember seeing one of these on the way to the Aerial Tram. There was a steady line of ants crossing the path carrying pieces of leaves many times their own size!

    ReplyDelete
  13. magiceyeApril 2, 2009 at 12:06 AM

    great shots and informative

    ReplyDelete
  14. hennyApril 2, 2009 at 5:23 AM

    Hi Dave, you can count 1-10. What about 'hajimemashite'? Hajimemashite, Dave San, youroushiku onegaisimasu...
    Well chosen pic for Yellow Theme Day.
    I havent finished exploring your photos :). Best, Henny.

    ReplyDelete
  15. UnknownApril 2, 2009 at 11:11 AM

    Fantastic choice for the theme day! Watching those ants is so cool! And the sign is something, I've never seen it before.

    ReplyDelete