The Texas leaf cutting ant, Atta te

The Texas leaf cutting ant, Atta texana (Buckley), has several common names including the town ant, cut ant, parasol ant, fungus ant and night ant. Atta texana can be extremely destructive to landscape plants, gardens and some agricultural crops in Texas.Leaf cutting ants live in large colonies of up to two million. The name comes from their habit of cutting leaves and other plant parts from a variety of plants. In Texas, these ants damage weeds, grasses, plum and peach trees, blackberry bushes and many other fruit, nut and ornamental plants as well as several cereal and forage crops. The ants do not eat the leaf fragments they collect, but take them into their underground nest where they use the material to raise a fungus garden. As the fungus grows, certain parts of it are eaten by the ants and fed to the larvae. This fungus is their only known source of food.Leaf cutting ants attack pine trees, but ordinarily do little damage when other green plants are available. During the winter when green plant material is scarce, seedling pines are frequently damaged in parts of east Texas and west central Louisiana. Where ants are abundant, it is almost impossible to establish natural pine reproduction. In such sites, young pine seedlings often are destroyed within a few days unless the ants are controlled before planting.Because leaf cutting ants only eat the fungus they cultivate, they do not respond well to most conventional ant baits, including sugar- or oil-based baits.

The Texas leaf cutting ant, Atta texana (Buckley), has several common names including the town ant, cut ant, parasol ant, fungus ant and night ant. Atta Texana Can be extremely destructive to Landscape Plants, gardens and Some Agricultural Crops in Texas. Leaf cutting Ants Live in Two Large Colonies of up to million. The name comes from their habit of cutting leaves and other plant parts from a variety of plants. In Texas, these ants damage weeds, grasses, plum and peach trees, blackberry bushes and many other fruit, nut and ornamental plants as well as several cereal and forage crops. The ants do not eat the leaf fragments they collect, but take them into their underground nest where they use the material to raise a fungus garden. As the fungus grows, certain parts of it are eaten by the ants and fed to the larvae. Fungus this is their only source of Known Food. Leaf Pine Trees cutting Ants Attack, but do Ordinarily when Little damage Other Green Plants are available. During the winter when green plant material is scarce, seedling pines are frequently damaged in parts of east Texas and west central Louisiana. Where ants are abundant, it is almost impossible to establish natural pine reproduction. In such sites, Young Pine seedlings are often destroyed Within a few days unless the Ants are controlled before PLANTING. Because Leaf cutting Ants Eat only the Fungus they Cultivate, they do not Respond well to conventional Most Ant baits, including Oil- or Sugar-. based baits.

The Texas leaf, cutting ant Atta texana (Buckley), has several common names including the town ant cut ant ant parasol,,,, Fungus ant and night ant. Atta texana can be extremely destructive to, landscape plants gardens and some agricultural crops. In Texas.Leaf cutting ants live in large colonies of up to two million. The name comes from their habit of cutting leaves and other. Plant parts from a variety of plants. In Texas these ants, damage weeds grasses plum and peach trees,,,, blackberry bushes And many, other fruit nut and ornamental plants as well as several cereal and forage crops. The ants do not eat the leaf. Fragments, they collect but take them into their underground nest where they use the material to raise a fungus, garden. As the fungus grows certain parts, of it are eaten by the ants and fed to the larvae. This fungus is their only known source. Of food.Leaf cutting ants attack, pine trees but ordinarily do little damage when other green plants are available. During the. Winter when green plant material, is scarce seedling pines are frequently damaged in parts of East Texas and West Central. Louisiana. Where ants are abundant it is, almost impossible to establish natural pine reproduction. In, such sites young. Pine seedlings often are destroyed within a few days unless the ants are controlled before planting.Because leaf cutting ants only eat the fungus, they cultivate they do not respond well to most conventional, ant baits. Including sugar - or oil-based baits.