Leaf Cutter Behavior
Leaf-cutter ants damage vegetation because they remove foliage in order to carry it back to their nests. They have been known to remove all the needles or leaves from a tree in one night. The leaves or needles are not eaten for food but used in another manner. It is chewed into a material much like pulp. This pulp produces a fungus that feeds the colony.
During the summer months, Leaf Cutter Ants forage at night. The worker ants will forage during the day during the spring and fall months unless it is rainy or overcast. They are attracted to lights on buildings. After a major swarm, they can be found in a large number on exterior walls of buildings.