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Texas leafcutter ant

Texas leafcutter ant

Atta texana

A species of Leaf-cutter ants, Also known as Cut ant, Fungus ant, Texas Leaf-cutting Ant

The Texas leaf-cutter ant is a problem in the state it is named for, and in parts of Louisiana. The large queen lays millions of eggs, ensuring the survival of the huge colony. Not only does one colony hold millions of ants, but it is also established deep underground. Eradicating the colony is difficult without tainting nearby water supplies, leaving the ant to destroy nearby vegetation.

Bite Humans
Bite Humans
General Info About Texas leafcutter ant
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Attributes of Texas leafcutter ant
Colors
Brown
Habitat
roadside; field; forest; shrub; soil; suburban and agricultural area
Adult Food Sources
Leaves, flowers, grasses, fruit
Larva Food Source
Fungi (cultivated fungi)
Biting/stinging
The Texas leafcutter ant may bite humans actively. Please stay away from it.
Allergy-causing
Not reported
Pollinator
Not reported
Pest-Eating Predatory
Not reported
Phytophagous
The Texas leafcutter ant feeds on plants, usually without causing significant harm. However, it's important to take the situation seriously if their numbers begin to increase significantly.
Predatory
The Texas leafcutter ant typically preys on other arthropods and does not directly affect plants.
Biting animal or pet
Not reported
Mouthparts Type
Chewing mouthparts
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Appearance of Texas leafcutter ant
Atta texana workers measure 4 - 14 mm in length, and are highly polymorphic. The back of the thorax has three pairs of spines. The ant has a narrow waist and is rusty brown in color.
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How to Identify Texas leafcutter ant?

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Life Cycle of Texas leafcutter ant
Egg The egg is small, typically oval-shaped, and creamy white. It's laid in clusters by the queen texas leafcutter ant in the nest, and development here is solely about growth and differentiation at a microscale level.
Larva The larva that hatches is legless and white. It's dependent on adult texas leafcutter ants for food, which is regurgitated. Growth is rapid, with the larva molting multiple times, increasing in size with each molt.
Pupal The pupa shows the first signs of adult structures. Color can be initially white, becoming darker as the texas leafcutter ant matures. The pupa remains immobile, encased within a silk-like cocoon produced in the larval stage.
Adult Emerging from the pupa, the adult texas leafcutter ant’s development is marked by the presence of wings in the reproductives and functional reproductive organs. Workers are wingless, with a hardened exoskeleton, focusing on colony maintenance.
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Adult Size of Texas leafcutter ant
1.5 - 13 mm
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Predators of Texas leafcutter ant Larvae
Antbirds, anteaters, armadillos
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Predators of Adult Texas leafcutter ant
Tamanduas, certain monkey species, coatimundis
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Interesting Facts About Texas leafcutter ant
The texas leafcutter ant can carry objects up to 50 times its body weight using its powerful mandibles, exhibiting remarkable strength relative to its size.
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Scientific Classification of Texas leafcutter ant
Class
Bugs
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Order
Bees
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Family
Ants
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Tips for Finding Texas leafcutter ant
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Adult Habitat of Texas leafcutter ant
Forests and Woodlands, Grasslands and Prairies, Agricultural and Cultivated Areas
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Habitat Preferences of Texas leafcutter ant Through Different Life Stages
The texas leafcutter ant typically establishes colonies underground, commonly found in open fields or forested areas where they construct intricate nests. These nests may extend deep into the soil and house the egg, larval, and pupal stages amidst a fungal garden cultivated by adult texas leafcutter ant. Should one strive to locate various stages of texas leafcutter ant development, they'd best explore the subterranean nests for brood chambers, while adults can be found foraging both around the nest entrance and across surrounding vegetation.
Are Texas leafcutter ant harmful?
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Usually, the texas leafcutter ant won't threaten or hurt humans. But remember that even a worm will turn. Remember to still be cautious.

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Are Texas leafcutter ant harmful to humans?

Different kinds of ants cause different troubles to humans. To be sure, compared with other dangerous creatures, common ants are very harmful to humans, and most of them just gather in the courtyard or room to disturb human life.
But there are some dangerous groups. They have strong jaws and sting needles and can bite or sting when under stress. Usually, ants only cause physical damage and the pain caused by formic acid. These discomforts do not even need to be dealt with, and can be recovered quickly. But there are still very few ant stings that can cause allergies and even death. Other ants can pollute the environment, destroy buildings, affect harvests and even spread diseases.
Harmful Effects of Texas leafcutter ant
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Bite Humans

Texas leafcutter ant typically does not bite humans. Their primary behavior is focused on foraging and colony maintenance. If they do bite, it is usually in defense and causes only mild discomfort. Their biting mechanism involves using strong mandibles, but such instances are not common occurrences.

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Structural Pests

The texas leafcutter ant poses a severe threat to man-made structures. These insects damage wooden components in houses, gnawing through cables, leading to potential fire hazards, and compromising the integrity of wooden furniture. During their developmental stages, both adults and larvae exhibit different destructive behaviors, actively tunneling and nesting within these materials, causing extensive damage and inconvenience to human inhabitants.

More Effects of Texas leafcutter ant

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