How leafcutter ant eat?

Answer 1

In general they use the jaws like most other ants, as general-purpose pincers for holding and carrying, and for crushing, piercing, chopping, or cutting etcetera. However, I assume that what you want to know is how the large workers of the Leafcutter ants use their main large jaws (the mandibles) when they are cutting leaves.

They have serrated (edged with teeth like a saw) mandibles that open wide, then close over the edge of a leaf, overlapping like shears so that they can slice through the leaf. After each bite they move deeper in, still using their forelegs and their smaller jaws (the maxillae) to hold onto the piece of leaf that they are cutting out. Then they bite again, slice-slice-slice, like someone cutting cloth with scissors, working in a circle till they get back to the start, so that the piece they have cut out comes free. Then the ant holds the piece of leaf in in its jaws so that it covers its own head and back like an umbrella. It carries it back to the nest where other, smaller workers with different jaws can chew the piece of leaf till it is suitable for food for growing the fungi that all the members of the ant-colony eat. It is possible that the umbrella-style carrying simply is convenient and efficient, but it also might help to keep off the deadly Phorid flies that lay their eggs on the ants' necks so that their larvae can feed on the big worker-ants' brains. But there also are really tiny workers that sit on the big worker ants' heads and ride shotgun to keep off the flies. The tiny workers use their jaws like any other ant that wants to attack another insect. It is not a good idea to assume that most insects use their jaws in just one way, any more than we humans use ours in just one way. Think about that next time you kiss someone.

Answer 2

Its mandibles (its pincer like equivalent of jaws).

Answer 3

They cut the leaves and bring them to there fungus garden. they eat the fungus.

Answer 4

The leaves are composted in the ant's nest, and the ants eat the fungi that grows on the composted leaves.

Answer 5

they move with their legs