• ants nest building

Leaf-cutting ants build the largest and most complex nest among ants, composed of chambers for the maintenance of underground fungus gardens and the deposition of colony waste, and conspicuous turrets for air exchanges. In my talk, I will present experimental studies that explore the behavioural rules ants use while building, their responses to relevant environmental variables such as CO2, temperature, and relative humidity, and their use of social information, which ultimately lead to the emergence of a nest architecture that provides a proper environment for colony growth.