Colchester Zoo has introduced a brand new colony of Leaf-cutter ants into the exhibit at the Kingdom of the Wild house. Sadly the previous colony was not able to survive after the death of their queen.
Leaf-cutter ants such as ours may be small but they have powerful jaws which can vibrate at a thousand times a second to slice off pieces of leaf. Their bodies are also amazingly powerful making it possible for them to carry pieces of leaf that weigh at least 20 times their own body weight!
Like bees, their colonies are made up of different levels of workers; large soldier ants who protect the colony, harvester ants who use their strong jaws to cut and carry leaf, and gardener ants who work beneath ground and process the pieces of the leaf that are brought back. The nest also contains a queen who lays all the eggs needed to keep the colony supplied with new workers which is why her survival can affect the rest of the colony so drastically.
It is hoped that the new ants will learn to divide work in this way and thrive! If you look very closely you might be able to see the new colony at the Kingdom of the Wild house as they begin work on creating their new home!