Leafcutter ant

A reference overview

Leafcutter ants are several species of fungus-growing ants that share the behaviour of cutting leaves which they carry back to their nests to farm fungus. Next to humans, leafcutter ants form some of the largest and most complex animal societies on Earth. In a few years, the central mound of their underground nests can grow to more than 30 m (98 ft) across, with smaller radiating mounds extending out to a radius of 80 m (260 ft), taking up 30 to 600 m2 (320 to 6,460 sq ft) and occupied by 3.55 million individuals.

Overview excerpt from Wikipedia contributors · Leafcutter ant, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Excerpt may be shortened. Overview retrieved 2026-10-09.