The reproductive biology of the leafcutting ant Atta mexicana at Organ Pipe National Monument
Mintzer AC. 1990. The reproductive biology of the leafcutting ant Atta mexicana at Organ Pipe National Monument. A project final report
The leafcutting ant (Atta mexicana) reaches its northern limits at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. As it is not known from any other area in the United States, knowledge of its life history is important to its survival. In establishment of a new colony, the mated female must in addition carry enough of the symbiotic fungus the ants grow for food. (These females are among the largest ants known.) Swarming occurs after rains in early summer, (with bats gathering to prey on the flying ants). Some evidence points to successful reproduction only in summers with more rain than normal, and the author points out that the entire monument population may be dependent on only 40 individual ants (the reproductive females). Brief bibliography.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Mintzer, Alex
- Date of Issue
- 1990-05
- Units
- ORPI
- Keywords
- Ants (Formicidae), Distribution, Ecology, Entomology, Insects (Insecta), Invertebrates (Invertebrata), leafcutter ant (Atta mexicana), Precipitation, Reproduction