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Old 29-11-2013, 02:16 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening
shazzbat shazzbat is offline
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First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Jul 2006
Posts: 780
Default UK ants farming fungi


"Stephen Wolstenholme" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 28 Nov 2013 10:36:54 +0000, Martin Brown
wrote:

A long while ago we had a discussion where I reckoned I had ants in my
garden that farmed a fungus. Well yesterday I put a spade through what
looks to me like a perfect example of their action. Small 5cm x 5cm x
1cm chambers with a white mushroomy smelling fungus uniformly coating
the walls. Unfortunately the ants are long gone now wherever they go.

However, I now know exactly where to dig next year and hope to catch
them in the act. Unfortunately I was digging quite vigorously and didn't
spot it in time to avoid messing it up, but pieces of the white fungal
carpet were obvious as I smashed up the soil.

I will go back and try to catch them in the act next year.


That sounds like a show worth watching to me!


You can!

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/kids-only/natur...cam/index.html

Steve