Wild Discover Zone: World of the Insect—Leaf-cutter Ant
Theme: Observing leaf-cutter ants teaches us about their unusual lives.
Investigation Question: Do ants with or without leaves travel faster?
Step 1: Hook (Facilitator A)
Props:
x Giant fabric leaf
Greet Guests Greet guests as they make eye contact with you. To establish a rapport, you might ask them if they are
enjoying their day at the Zoo, and point out one of the ants carrying a large leaf bit.
Introduce Topic Tell guests that an ant can carry a leaf bit that weighs up to 20 times its body weight. Ask guests to
help you unfold and spread out the giant fabric leaf and imagine that this is how big a leaf bit we would carry if we were
leaf-cutter ants.
Ask them what they think the ants do with the leaves they cut and explain that they do not eat the leaves. Instead, they
carry the leaf fragments back to their underground nest where they are used as compost to grow fungus gardens that
feed the ants. State the theme: watching leaf-cutter ants teaches us about their unusual lives.
Introduce the Question How fast do they think the ants travel? Do they think the ants carrying leaves are faster or
slower than the ants without leaves, and why? Point them towards Facilitator B to find out.
Supporting Information
x An ant carrying a leaf bit that weighs up to 20 times more than the ant itself has to work harder and may walk
slower than those not carrying leaves. Most ants carrying leaves will be walking towards the nest.
x If a leaf-cutter ant was as big as a human, it would run a mile in less than four minutes—close to the human
speed record. And that’s while carrying a load weighing the equivalent of a grand piano!
x The ants and the fungus have a symbiotic relationship, meaning they are biologically linked. Neither the ant nor
the fungus can survive in nature without the other. Ants shelter, feed, protect, and disperse the fungus, while
the fungus provides the ants with food.
Step 2: Doing the Investigation (Facilitator B)
Note: Facilitator B can also initiate this investigation directly by simply asking, “Do you want to help me with my
investigation?”
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Props:
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Magnetic chalkboard
Chalk markers
Timer
Pipe cleaners
Laminated graph of a previous day’s results
Ant magnets
Number of times
Set Up
Write the investigation question at the top of the chalkboard, and draw a blank graph on it that looks like this:
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
With leaf
Without leaf
Fastest ant
Introduce the Question Greet guests that approach and/or make eye contact with you. Invite them to help you figure
out which ants travel faster—those with or without leaves.
Make a Prediction Have them make a prediction. Do they think ants carrying leaves will be traveling faster or slower
than those not carrying leaves, and why?
Collect Data Explain how to collect the data. There is an area set up in the hallway for conducting a similar
investigation that includes a start and stop line and a built-in timer. Pick an ant that is carrying a leaf. Push start on the
built-in timer when the ant crosses the start line. Observe the ant as it walks to the finish line. Stop the timer once the
ant has crossed the finish line.
Alternatively, if that station is busy, guests can set up their own area anywhere else along the tube. Have them tie two
pipe cleaners around the tube the same distance apart as the built-in section to act as the start and finish lines. Give
them a timer and have them collect data as described above.
Now, have the guests repeat the same process, this time with an ant that is not carrying a leaf.
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Graph Results Have guests add their data to the results graph. Which ant was faster (i.e. shortest time to travel from
start to finish)? Put a magnet on the bar for whichever ant was faster—with or without leaf. The graph builds with each
new guest’s data.
Number of times
Example graph (dots represent ant magnets; not based on actual results):
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
With leaf
Without leaf
Fastest ant
Discuss What Happened According to the graph, which ants are faster—those carrying leaves or those without leaves?
Is that what they predicted? Why do they think it turned out that way?
Early in the day, when only a few guests have added their data to the graph yet, you might want to share the laminated
graph of a previous day’s results with them. Looking at a graph of a full day’s results will make it easier for guests to
come to a conclusion.
When the magnets reach the top of the board, record the data on the sheet provided at the Zone. Then remove the
magnets and start the graph over. Remember to record all of the data collected at the end of the day as well.
Keep in mind that the point of doing the investigation is not to just collect data, graph the results, and get an answer.
The most important part is to discuss how doing investigations, or scientific research, can help save wildlife and that
everyone can be a part of it. Move on to Step 3 to transition into that conversation.
Step 3: Make the Conservation Connection
Props:
x Laminated world map with South America highlighted
x Saving Species storyboard pictures
Discuss Importance of the Investigation After completing the investigation, ask guests why it would be important to
know more about the ants?
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Despite their tiny size, leaf-cutter ants have a huge impact on the South American rainforest ecosystem. As the
dominant herbivores in the rainforest, leaf-cutter ants literally shape the plant community surrounding them.
Show visitors the map with South America highlighted. Knowing more about ants help us understand the role
they play in the ecosystem and protect the rainforest.
Talk about Zoo Conservation Efforts You can mention that the Zoo is a leader in rearing leaf-cutter ants and received a
Significant Achievement Award in 2003 for the long-term care and management of leaf-cutter ants from the Association
of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA).
Make the Saving Species Connection Each chalkboard is equipped with a panel across the bottom for pictures that
serve as a “Saving Species” storyboard. Use these pictures to highlight key Zoo conservation efforts and how local
people are getting involved. “Here are some ways you can help the Zoo save (animal) in the wild…”
Suggest An Action Ask guests if they’ve heard about our cell phone recycling program yet. If not, explain how recycling
cell phones can help wildlife. If they have already heard about cell phones, mention that another way to protect wild
leaf-cutter ants is to use earth-friendly herbicides and pesticides rather than toxic versions. Improving habitat health in
every corner of the world helps interesting animals, like leaf-cutter ants, survive.
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