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For centuries we have believed that humans were unique in our ability to farm and cultivate our own food. However, it turns out that ants grow their own food too. Have you ever seen a trail of ants carrying green leaves back to their colony? They’re not collecting food for themselves, but for cultivating their own farms!
When Did Ants Start Farming Their Food?

Leafcutter ants can carry 20 times their body weight.
©iStock.com/scigelova
Most organisms forage, hunt, or use photosynthesis to get food, but around 50 million years ago — long before humans were around — ants began cultivating and growing their own food. Some species even took it a step further and domesticated their fungi, much like humans domesticated certain animal species. This specialized fungus can no longer reproduce on its own and needs the ants to survive. The fungi produce gongylidia, which are like little nutrient-filled powerhouses for ants. Interestingly, certain ant species also grow multiple types of fungi, and some may even share with other ant species!
Ant Farming 101

A colony of leafcutter ants can defoliate an entire tree in a single day.
©Matyas Rehak/Shutterstock.com
Leafcutter ants live only in South America, Mexico, Central America, and a few select areas of the Southern United States, including Texas.
There are at least 55 distinct species of leaf cutter ants, divided into three genera: Acromyrmex, Amoimyrmux, and Atta. While the Amoimyrmex ants typically have three ant castes (different types of ants), Acromyrmex and Atta usually have four. These castes, or groups, are ranked by size and function:
- Maxima
- Media
- Minima
- Major
Maxima ants are the largest in Acmoimyrmex and the second largest in Acromyrmex and Atta ants. They act as the colony’s scouts, venturing into the rainforest to find suitable vegetation for their fungus farms. They use special pheromones to mark scented trails for other ants to follow.
With medium-sized bodies, media ants are super strong and can carry 20 times their own body weight! Their powerful, sharp mandibles are perfect for cutting out pieces of leaves and other vegetation for their fungus farms. Media ants carry the leaves back to the nest using the specialized grooves on their heads.
Minima ants may be the smallest of the colony, but they play a vital role as dedicated farmers. They are responsible for fertilizing, protecting, and caring for their fungus gardens. After media ants bring leaves back to the nest, minims chew them up into nice pellets for the fungus to feed on. Minims protect the fungus, diligently keeping out pests and watching for disease or mold. If an ant discovers mold in the fungus farm, they use a unique bacterium as a natural pesticide. However, these clever ants carefully manage its use to prevent the mold from developing a defense or resistance to it.
Major ants are the largest of them all. Like their name, major ants serve as the colony’s military force and defend the nest. Some major ants can grow 16mm long, which is pretty big for an ant!
Mutualism Between Ants and Fungi

Leafcutter ants build massive nests that can reach 20 feet deep.
©© 2017 Kryssia Campos/Moment via Getty Images
Leafcutter ants farm various fungi from the Lepiotaceae family in a symbiotic relationship. The ants care for and protect the fungi, providing them with plenty of nutritious plant matter and antimicrobial bacteria to fight off harmful microorganisms. The ants are incredibly sensitive and can detect even the slightest disturbance in their farms. They observe how the fungi react to different plant materials and will signal to the media ants to find other types of plants if necessary. The fungi, in turn, provide food and essential nutrients for the ant colony, which are particularly beneficial for young ant larvae.
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