The incredible underground civilization of leaf cutter ants

In 2012 an abandoned leaf cutter ant nest was excavated in Brazil, revealing the vast underground network of the former colony, previously living under our feet. Lead by Professor Luis Forgi, the scientific team uncovered what can only be described as an incredible underground civilization.

Leafcutter ants are crucial for the ecosystem. They help aerate the soil and redistribute nutrients within the forests they inhabit. These ants cut and process fresh vegetation, such as leaves, flowers, and grasses, to cultivate underground fungus, which serves as their food source, and for countless other organisms in the soil and above ground as well.