Atta

ant genus

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 16, 2026

Quick Summary

The genus Atta comprises nearly 50 species of leafcutter ants, abundant in the American tropics. These ants are easily identified by their columns of hundreds or thousands of ants carrying leaf fragments to their underground nests, which can house millions of individuals.1

Within these nests, ants cultivate gardens of fungus on chewed leaves. They meticulously tend to these fungal gardens, removing contaminants and aiding growth, while also suppressing other fungal species. The fungi, belonging to the family Lepiotaceae, provide food for the ants in the form of fungal strands and protein-rich bodies called gondylidia.1

Atta colonies are structured with different castes of workers, soldiers, and reproductives. New colonies are established when queens, carrying fungal fragments, disperse during mating swarms. Leafcutter ants are significant herbivores, impacting vegetation and enriching soil through their activities.1

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

6 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

leafcutter ant
Natural history
Nests of the Atta genus are characterized by ants of different sizes corresponding to castes of workers, soldiers, reproductives, and “guards.” Deep within the nest, the ants physically and chemically cultivate subterranean “gardens” of fungus that grow on the chewed leaves. The ants remove contaminants and produce amino…
Read More
Nests of the Atta genus are characterized by ants of different sizes corresponding to castes of workers, soldiers, reproductives, and “guards.” Deep within the nest, the ants physically and chemically cultivate subterranean “gardens” of fungus that grow on the chewed leaves. The ants remove contaminants and produce amino…
Read More

Hymenoptera
Social forms
, Atta) have developed colonies that live for long periods, with one queen succeeding another. In Eciton the young queens, which are wingless, mate in the nest and are dependent upon the help of the workers as the nest is being built.
Read More
, Atta) have developed colonies that live for long periods, with one queen succeeding another. In Eciton the young queens, which are wingless, mate in the nest and are dependent upon the help of the workers as the nest is being built.
Read More