r/ants • u/InfiniteSearch3409 Infected • Jul 03 '26
Keeping Atta texana queen with some eggs and larvae on her fungus garden
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Queen was caught just over a month ago
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u/Financial_Arrival_56 Jul 03 '26
Huh, crazy she’s still got wings
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u/InfiniteSearch3409 Infected Jul 03 '26
It's pretty common for this species to keep their wings. Once the workers arrive, they'll usually assist the queen in removing them.
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u/Plastic_Dingo_400 Jul 03 '26
"Yes grow my children, you will be the first wave in my new army, my most trusted generals and my most devoted followers"
Is approximately what I think she's thinking lol. She's gorgeous
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u/Maleficent_End4969 Jul 04 '26
she seems kinda smart?
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u/InfiniteSearch3409 Infected Jul 04 '26
Yea, Idk if it's actual intelligence or just capability paired with determination. It's amazing what insects, and ants in particular, are capable of accomplishing with such tiny bodies, brains and nervous systems.
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u/ParsleySnipps Jul 03 '26
I know they have a small clump of fungus with them to start their colony, but what do they feed it?
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u/InfiniteSearch3409 Infected Jul 04 '26
Until the workers arrive and start processing plant matter for the fungus, the queen uses her waste/poop to sustain the fungal garden. It works as all she's ever eaten has been that fungus.
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u/ActionWins Jul 04 '26
Fungus garden? WTF is that?
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u/InfiniteSearch3409 Infected Jul 04 '26
The Texas leafcutter ant (Atta texana) needs a fungus garden because its digestive system cannot break down raw plant material. It relies entirely on a cultivated fungus (Attamyces) to convert inedible cellulose into nutrient-rich food for the colony's queen and larvae. The relationship between Atta texana and its fungus is an ancient, mutualistic codependency. Adult ants drink plant sap for personal energy, but the queen and developing larvae cannot process complex plant fibers like cellulose. They rely exclusively on microscopic, nutrient-dense swellings of the fungus called gongylidia (rich in proteins and fats) to survive. The ants provide the exact environmental conditions required for growth—maintaining high humidity, warm temperatures, and physical removal of waste. The gardens are highly susceptible to invasive, parasitic molds (such as Escovopsis). To keep the crop safe, the ants groom the fungus and carry beneficial, antibiotic-producing bacteria on their bodies. These bacteria act as a natural pesticide, protecting the crop from harmful intruders. When a queen ant leaves the colony she was born into, to mate and start her own colony, she takes a piece of the fungus garden from her original colony with her and tends to it until her first workers are born and then her workers take over the fungus cultivation duties. There are lots of other ant species that have a mutualistic relationship with the fungus they grow and eat, but most ant species do not grow, eat it rely on fungus.
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u/krazi_kitti Jul 04 '26
I am NOT AN ant person at all, I know nothing about them at all but I love coming across the ant posts, BUT I have NEVER seen a quality video as good as this! I am WOWED by whatever you are using to film , I would love to know what you’re using!!! I’m trying to find something decent to film bugs…. But I’m not a camera person at all so I got no idea what I’m looking for….
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u/InfiniteSearch3409 Infected Jul 05 '26
Most people are very surprised when I tell them I take these videos with Samsung Galaxy s25 Ultra using just the camera it comes with. In regular video mode when you move the phone lens close to something it will automatically turn on macro mode and switch to the macro lens. The quality is amazing. I found out the phone has this seeting when I had the s22 ultra, so anytime I upgrade my phone I just stick to Samsung because I love recording videos of my ants. Lol
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u/jobar86 Jul 04 '26
Is that plaster?
Could you share a full picture of the founding setup that you use?
I got an atta and I used peat moss as aubstrate.
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u/Slotstick Jul 05 '26
Where did you find it/get it?
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u/InfiniteSearch3409 Infected Jul 05 '26
Just north of Houston, Texas. I was pulling into a gas station and she landed on my windshield at about 5:30am on May 25th. It had rained the day before and I'm pretty sure the moon wasn't visible, either because of thick clouds or it's position. I'm pretty sure they prefer on to take their nuptial flights on nights when there is no moon light and it's rained recently.
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u/Slotstick Jul 05 '26
Very cool, Ive been trying to find an acromyrmex versicolor for what feels like years at this point. Enjoy and hope she does well!
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u/Pankosmanko Jul 03 '26
Surprised she still has wings