Puke, poop and tiny cockroaches: how the leafcutter ant queen runs her farm

Puke, poop and tiny cockroaches: how the leafcutter ant queen runs her farm - Charles Wallace

2023-03-23

[public] 85.9K views, 9.10K likes, dislikes audio only

Take a look inside the leafcutter ant colony as a queen begins her reign and the ants work to sustain their supply of fungus.

In a Texas clearing, an ancient tale that ties four species together is unfurling. The first involved is a soon-to-be queen leafcutter ant. The second is fungus, a piece of which she scoops into her mouth pocket. The third are cockroaches, which nestle under her wings. And the fourth is the one that threatens them all. Charles Wallace takes a look inside the ant colony as a queen begins her reign.

Lesson by Charles Wallace, directed by Charlotte Arene.

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View full lesson: https://ed.ted.com/lessons/when-you-re-an-ant-but-also-a-fungus-tycoon-charles-wallace

Dig deeper with additional resources: https://ed.ted.com/lessons/when-you-re-an-ant-but-also-a-fungus-tycoon-charles-wallace#digdeeper

Animator's website: https://vimeo.com/charlottearene

Music: https://soundcloud.com/aim-music

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