7/5/2023 - All About Ants!

Written by team Nibs - Bella, Ella, Andie, and Ian

Today was focused on learning about leaf cutter ants and practicing the scientific method! We worked with leaf cutter ants most of the day. After breakfast, we headed to the lab. We were taken on a short hike through the rainforest to find a mature leaf cutter ant colony. We learned about how ants communicate using chemicals called pheromones and got to hear the vibrating bellies of soldier ants along with petting their furry heads.

The hike down to the mature colonies was muddy and slippery--it rained hard early that morning!

Students looking on as Dr. Adrian Pinto stomps and digs on top of a leaf cutter ant colony to disturb the soldier ants

A member of the soldier cast of Atta cephalotes, the main species we are studying on the trip

Afterward, we got into our groups and excavated our own small ant colonies. Leaf cutter ants have a symbiotic relationship with fungus. They bring fresh leaves to the fungus, which the fungus digest. The fungus is then eaten as the food source of the ants! Our goal was find a colony, get the fungus garden excavated and hopefully find the queen. It was hot and hard work but everyone got their gardens and one group found a queen!! We stored them in the ant lab for experiments tomorrow. It was so hot and beautiful today.

A bright and sunny day with little rain--unusual but very welcome for a morning of field work!

Digging up fungus gardens requires time, patience, and a willingness to get nipped by some ants! Leaf cutter ants bite, but they don't have stingers

Once harvested, the fungus gardens were placed in plastic container. Back in the lab, we prepared an artificial habitat for the ants and fungus that we can use during our research projects

At night we got to go on a night hike. We put on our boots and lights and headed to the trail. We saw a huge toad and other frogs, bullet ants, spiders, crickets, etc. we ended with a movie night learning more about leaf cutter ants.