Leafcutter Ant

Hi there. My name is Atta, and I'm a leafcutter ant. I'm very small, but I am super strong. Every morning, I march out of my cozy home with my sisters. We climb high up into the big green trees and use our strong jaws to snip off pieces of leaves. I carry my leaf piece over my head like a little green umbrella. It's funny, but I don't actually eat the leaves I carry.

I carry my leaf all the way back to my family's giant nest deep underground. It's so busy down here with all my sisters. We take the leaves to a special room. Here's our secret: we chew the leaves into a soft, mushy pulp. Then we use that pulp to grow our very own food—a fluffy, yummy fungus. We are farmers, and this is our garden.

Everyone in my big family has a special job. Some of us cut leaves, some take care of the baby ants, and others protect our home. By working together as a team, we make sure our fungus garden grows big and strong so everyone has enough to eat. Our farming helps keep the whole forest healthy, too. Being a little farmer is the best job in the world, and my work helps my whole forest home.