Under Your Feet

Fungus garden

Leafcutter ants chew the

leaves into a pulp, which

they feed to the fungus.

Rubbish dump

Waste is stored in special

chambers. It is then carried out

and dumped a safe distance

away from the nest.

The fungus eats

the leaves to grow.

Phorid flies

lay eggs inside

some ants.

When finding leaves,

a scent is left for

others to follow.

Old food and

dead ants can

lead to disease.

Gardener ants look

after the fungus.

Nurse ants care

for the eggs,

larvae, and pupae.

Larvae turn

into hard

pupae, which

become ants.

Queen ants can lay

up to 200 million

eggs. These turn into

maggot-like larvae.

Waste, such as dead ants,

is taken to the dump by

waste-handlers.

Soldier ants will

bite attackers to

defend the colony.

D

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.

U

sual

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,

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eve

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g

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.

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