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Is Leaf cutter fungus harmful to humans if inhaled?

Started By AntsTopia , Jun 30 2023 9:11 AM

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4 replies to this topic

#1 Offline AntsTopia - Posted June 30 2023 - 9:11 AM

Advanced Member

Members
291 posts

LocationBrooklyn, NY and Managua, Nicaragua

Hi everyone I’m back I have been taking a break from formiculture and I wanted to ask a question to all of you. My little cousin moved to Texas (yes the one who got me almost banned if you don’t know :ugone2far: )and happened to find a Atta queen wanted to keep it. However his mom decided to do research and found that leaf cutter ants made fungal gardens (mind blowing wow so smart). Anyway she threw it outside and now my cousin wants to know if fungus gardens made by leaf cutter ants are dangerous. The biggest thing that came to mind was the fungal spores so maybe if inhaled it could prove harmful? Thanks!

Best Regards, AntsTopia

Keeper of:
Camponotus castaneus | 20-25 workers
Tetramorium Immigrans | 1,000+ workers (yes I gave them a brood boost don’t be salty!)
Aphaenogaster Rudis | 16 workers
Pheidole bicarinata | 50-60 workers

Ants are just better.

#2 Offline Manitobant - Posted June 30 2023 - 10:01 AM

Advanced Member

Members
2,912 posts

LocationWinnipeg, Canada

No they aren’t dangerous at all. I've even heard an instance of an antkeeper eating atta fungus.

My journals:

Polyergus Mexicanus: https://www.formicul...gs/#entry175528
Lasius minutus: https://www.formicul...cs/#entry174811
Lasius latipes: https://www.formicul...gs/#entry206449
General acanthomyops journal: https://www.formicul...yops-with-eggs/

#3 Offline OhNoNotAgain - Posted June 30 2023 - 12:11 PM

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1,116 posts

LocationCalifornia Argentine Ant Territory

In fact, the fungus probably doesn't even produce spores any more.

"The fungi used by the higher attine ants no longer produce spores. These ants fully domesticated their fungal partner 15 million years ago, a process that took 30 million years to complete."

https://en.wikipedia.../Leafcutter_ant

Formiculture Journals::

Veromessor pergandei, andrei; Novomessor cockerelli

Camponotus fragilis; also separate journal: Camponotus sansabeanus (inactive), vicinus, laevigatus/quercicola

Liometopum occidentale; Prenolepis imparis; Myrmecocystus mexicanus (inactive)

Pogonomyrmex subnitidus and californicus (inactive)

Tetramorium sp.

Termites: Zootermopsis angusticollis

Isopods: A. gestroi, granulatum, kluugi, maculatum, vulgare; C. murina; P. hoffmannseggi, P. haasi, P. ornatus; V. parvus

Spoods: Phidippus sp.

#4 Offline AntsTopia - Posted June 30 2023 - 5:11 PM

Advanced Member

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291 posts

LocationBrooklyn, NY and Managua, Nicaragua

So I know I’ll getting a little bit into this than I should be because my cousin is like 1,000 miles away from me or more but was wondering if the fungus were to get really big if you took a piece of it and put it in another nest connected to the mother nest would the ants have another garden?