This is an ant trail. It has been made by the leafcutter ants. You see these trails everywhere in the forest. The leafcutter ants do a lot of work in the forest carrying leaves and other plant material into their nest. They are very important to the rainforest eco-system.
These ants are fascinating although not easy to photograph. The ants measured in bio-mass are heavier than any other type of animal in the rainforest.
This trail goes over this fallen tree towards their nest.
This is the nest. It's about 2 metres wide and 1 metres high. I've got no idea how deep the tunnels inside this nest go.
Here you see one of the worker ants carrying a big piece of something. In relation to their size they must be extremely strong. On top you see two smaller ants. They are not lazy, going along for the ride but these 'hitchhiker ants' actively protect the plant material and the worker ants from parasites.
The worker ants carry the leaves to the smaller ants. They chew the leaves up into very small pieces making it all sticky. The plant material is then added to the fungus garden. The ants feed off the fungi. All the ants help to maintain the fungi garden. In order for the fungi to grow they have to defecate on the leaves.
Unfortunately I can not show you the fungi garden. Disturbing the nest doesn't seem to be a good idea.
Another hitchhiker ant on top of the worker's cargo.
The forest is not without dangers. I came across this dead snake. It's difficult to tell but I do recognise it. I don't know the name but this one is not poisonous.
There are very poisonous snakes around here though. I almost threaded on one once. It looked exactly like this one.
Yet I will go back to this forest to make a video about the leafcutter ants and do some more photography.
Thanks and much love,
Gardenbsaquared
