Leafcutter Ants | National Geographic

this is nature’s equivalent to a small

this is nature’s equivalent to a small berserk lumberjack with a turbo powered

berserk lumberjack with a turbo powered

berserk lumberjack with a turbo powered chainsaw it’s a leaf cutter ant and no

chainsaw it’s a leaf cutter ant and no

chainsaw it’s a leaf cutter ant and no leaf and the canopy is too big for it

leaf and the canopy is too big for it

leaf and the canopy is too big for it sawtooth mandibles it’s not just leaves

sawtooth mandibles it’s not just leaves

sawtooth mandibles it’s not just leaves of course with their jaws vibrating

of course with their jaws vibrating

of course with their jaws vibrating 1,000 times per second leaf cutter ants

1,000 times per second leaf cutter ants

1,000 times per second leaf cutter ants will happily slice dice and julienne

will happily slice dice and julienne

will happily slice dice and julienne flowers as well if it grows and can be

flowers as well if it grows and can be

flowers as well if it grows and can be carried back to the nest it’s fair game

carried back to the nest it’s fair game

carried back to the nest it’s fair game and as you can see size is no object

and as you can see size is no object

and as you can see size is no object to these micro muscleman their job is to

to these micro muscleman their job is to

to these micro muscleman their job is to strip the tree and cart it back to the

strip the tree and cart it back to the

strip the tree and cart it back to the nest and they do this with frightening

nest and they do this with frightening

nest and they do this with frightening efficiency the path back to the nest

efficiency the path back to the nest

efficiency the path back to the nest becomes a veritable ant superhighway and

becomes a veritable ant superhighway and

becomes a veritable ant superhighway and whoa be any insect getting in the way of

whoa be any insect getting in the way of

whoa be any insect getting in the way of these infinitesimal beasts of burden

these infinitesimal beasts of burden

these infinitesimal beasts of burden this forager crew takes all the foliage

this forager crew takes all the foliage

this forager crew takes all the foliage back to the nest and then heads up for

back to the nest and then heads up for

back to the nest and then heads up for another payload

another payload

another payload once inside caretaker ants turn the

once inside caretaker ants turn the

once inside caretaker ants turn the leaves into a garden of fungus which

leaves into a garden of fungus which

leaves into a garden of fungus which becomes an school but leaf cutter ants

becomes an school but leaf cutter ants

becomes an school but leaf cutter ants aren’t the only ones feasting on the

aren’t the only ones feasting on the

aren’t the only ones feasting on the abundance in the upper reaches of this

abundance in the upper reaches of this

abundance in the upper reaches of this tropical rainforest there’s plenty left

tropical rainforest there’s plenty left

tropical rainforest there’s plenty left for everyone if you’re any kind of

for everyone if you’re any kind of

for everyone if you’re any kind of insect the world is your salad bar no

insect the world is your salad bar no

insect the world is your salad bar no matter how many friends show up mother

matter how many friends show up mother

matter how many friends show up mother nature always seems to provide enough

nature always seems to provide enough

nature always seems to provide enough oleic for every species and like any

oleic for every species and like any

oleic for every species and like any good buffet there’s something for

good buffet there’s something for

good buffet there’s something for everyone every kind of bug every kind of

everyone every kind of bug every kind of

everyone every kind of bug every kind of leaf and you can eat it here or you can

leaf and you can eat it here or you can

leaf and you can eat it here or you can take it home