JTNP: Southern Eagle Mountains - Take Two

first | previous | next | last | home
(78 of 122)

These distinctive multiple cones look like the entrances to the nest of leafcutter ants. All of these entrances are connected under the ground and the tunnels may be as deep as 15 feet. These ants gather plant material from ocotillo, palo verde, ironwood and creosote flowers and leaves. This plant material is chewed up back at the nest to be used as a compost to grow the fungus garden that serves as the food for these interesting ants.

These distinctive multiple cones look like the entrances to the nest of leafcutter ants. All of these entrances are connected under the ground and the tunnels may be as deep as 15 feet. These ants gather plant material from ocotillo, palo verde, ironwood and creosote flowers and leaves. This plant material is chewed up back at the nest to be used as a compost to grow the fungus garden that serves as the food for these interesting ants.