Leaf-cutter ants

Leaf-cutter ants are highly organized insects that harvest leaves to cultivate a fungus, which serves as their primary food source. They live in complex underground colonies with specialized roles, including workers that cut and carry leaves, and others that tend to the fungus. These ants never eat the leaves directly; instead, they depend on the fungus they grow as a nutritional resource. Leaf-cutter ants are vital for their ecosystems, aiding in plant decomposition and soil aeration, and they exhibit impressive cooperative behavior and agricultural skills that demonstrate advanced social organization.