Texas Leaf cutting Ant– The leaf cutting ant is a rusty brown color and will vary in size. The queen is about 3/4 of an inch long and worker ants will range from 1/4 to 1/2 inch long. They colonize in well drained sandy soils. Each colony may consist of a few small mounds or can be as big as several feet across. Mounds will have multiple chambers and be as deep as 12-15 feet. Workers are active from May to September and do the most damage during the nighttime hours. They can eventually defoliate a plant, carrying several leaves per ant to their nest. Leaves are used to maintain their “fungus garden.” They are chewing insects.
