ATTA LAEVIGATA Ants

Atta laevigata is among the numerous species of leaf cuter ants in the genus. Atta, which is very common around southern Columbia to Paraguay. Being one of the most populous leafcutter species, they are recognizable through their glittering head of the highest number of workers within a colony. Again, Atta laevigata is very popular in Northern South America as a hormiga culona which implies large bottomed-ant.

As far back as several hundred of years, during the pre-Columbian cultures, hormiga culona has always be a source of food year in year out, it usually takes around 9 weeks of harvest during the rain season as this is the actual period that they go on nuptical flight. More importantly, Atta laevigata forms part of the valuable cultural wedding presents.

Local farm laborers usually shoulder the tasks of the harvesting and they always get injured by the ants because these ants is characterized by very powerful mandibles. Meanwhile only the queens are gathered since the rest are not eatable. Having cut off the wings and legs, the queens will be soaked in salty water and then roasted using ceramic pains. Municipalities of san Gil and Barichara represents the actual area of production while trading goes as far as Buca ramanga and Bogota and export to Canada, Japan and England.
Research has revealed that Atta laevigata is highly nutritional and rich in protein with minimum concentration of fats. Besides, low level laborers usually see the ants as a means of income at least for a time being. When combined with the competing resources and the increasing aggressiveness of leafcutter ant species, atta laevigata ants have been drastically reduced in population which is becoming worrisome. Unless significant effort is taken, laevigata may be on it way to total extinction.

Rather than getting excited, be reminded that ants have contributed essentially as part of the aboriginal diets hundreds of years back. It is more logical to see the acts of eating as lifesaver even though it sounds disgusting. A lot of the primordial ingredients of the pre-Hispanic cuisine including insects, crustaceans as well as eatable reptile remain vital substances in the contemporary and traditional Mesoamerica meal.

Ants are very expensive food in very many countries across the globe. The Chinese for instance are reputed for eating anything movable. Specifically, they are popular for their exotic and highly quality expensive food such as scorpions, tarntulas and also spiders. In addition, insects, atta laevigata inclusive are prolific breeders with a very short life span, hence the supply is very high in choosing to eat insect over animal can potentially contribute significantly to the entire planet and not just the diet and health for the eaters.

Additionally, hormigas culonas are eatable queen ants which is referred to as big built ants. When considering the abdominal largeness and shape, this name is the most suitable. In Santander territory, youngish queens in addition to the drones are the only focused for harvesting during spring after the rain period. This is the time that they appear from their anthills while searching for mating partner particularly between April and June.

In the final analysis, atta laevigata is reputed to be one of the varieties of leafcutter ants. Besides, it is also known for its largeness in number in the world of leafcutter species. Aside from the queen, other class of the ants are uneatable neither can they use it as any source of income. As a result, no one bothers to collect them for any reason.