The fungus gardens grown by leaf-cutter ants are kept free of unwanted fungi and bacteria using multiple antimicrobial compounds concurrently.
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Where Are Ants Carrying All Those Leaves?

“Scientists at the University of East Anglia, have shown that
fungus-farming ants are using multiple antibiotics as weed killers to
maintain their fungus gardensants use the antibiotics to inhibit the growth of unwanted fungi and bacteria
in their fungus cultures which they use to feed their larvae and queen

“These antibiotics are produced by actinomycete bacteria that live on the ants in a mutual .

“Although these ants have been studied for more than 100 years this
is the first demonstration that a single ant colony uses multiple
antibiotics and is reminiscent of the use of multidrug therapy to treat
infections in humans.

“…Dr Hutchings’ research investigates the Acromyrmex octospinosus leaf
cutter ant, endemic in South and Central America and the southern US.” (EurekAlert! 2010)

 

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http://www.biomedcentral.com/1741-7007/8/109
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-08/uoea-aft082610.php

Last Updated August 18, 2016