Atta cephalotes

Atta cephalotes, commonly known as the leafcutter ant, is a species of ant abundant in the American tropics. These ants are easily recognized by their foraging columns, where hundreds or thousands of ants carry small pieces of leaves, often creating trails over 30 meters long.1

Leafcutter ants belong to the genera Atta and Acromyrmex, which are part of the fungus-growing ant tribe Attini. They transport clipped leaves to underground nests containing millions of ants and over a thousand chambers. Within these nests, they cultivate gardens of fungus on the chewed leaves, which serve as their primary food source. The ants actively manage these fungal gardens, removing contaminants and aiding growth.12

These ants are significant herbivores in tropical ecosystems, impacting vegetation by pruning plants, which stimulates new growth, and enriching the soil through their nest-building activities. While they consume a wide variety of plants, they are selective, often preferring woody species and avoiding those with certain chemical compounds.1