They keep their eggs and larvae within the fungus mass. In return, the ants give food and protection to the fungus. The ants cut leaves and flowers as substrate for the fungus to grow on. They fertilize it with special droplets produced by their bodies. Discovery Gallery L eafcutter ants lead a highly structured social existence.
Special chemicals call pheromones control communication and coordination between ants.
In the wild, colonies can contain up to several million ants. The Queen is central to the existence of the colony. She is the mother of all ant sin the nest. She secretes pheromones that regulate the activity of other ants. If the queen dies, workers become sluggish and stop cutting leaves within weeks .