Our detailed examination of E. procera’s food preferences supports
the view of mushrooms being a regenerating food source for
the ants. Exclusively soft-bodied and mainly fast-decaying mushrooms
were harvested; these showed both a higher tendency to
reappear and a higher frequency of regrowth locally. Indeed, there
were almost always mushrooms available at our study site, offering
a reliable food supply to an animal that shows a rather generalistic
mushroom feeding habit, such as E. procera. Besides providing a
sufficient food supply, a general mushroom feeding habit is probably
also beneficial for achieving a balanced diet for an obligate