【Spread Specimen】Leafcutter Ant Species Male Atta sp. Tarantula Hawk

Scientific Name: Atta sp.

The Atta genus (leafcutter ants) are agricultural ants that inhabit Central and South America, known for cutting leaves to bring back to their nests and cultivating fungi for food. They are highly social eusocial insects that build enormous underground nests centered around a queen ant. Specifically, Atta cephalotes and Atta sexdens are also known as pests due to the severe damage they cause to agricultural crops through large-scale leaf pruning.

Atta ants are known for their feeding habits. Worker ants collect plant matter from around the colony and transport it to underground chambers within the colony. This organic matter serves as nourishment for symbiotic fungi that live within the colony, which the ants then consume. Leafcutter ants do not sting and therefore do not inject venom, but they are known for their strong bite.

Atta Ants in Popular Culture
Princess Atta from A Bug's Life was named after the Atta genus of leafcutter ants.
In the novel Anthem, a man shrunk by a lightning strike forms a friendship with an ant named Atta.

Please note that we cannot offer a guarantee against grade reduction due to shipping.
We will ship the pictured male specimen from Tena, Ecuador. I measured it at 19mm. It was collected in March 2015.