Defence mechanisms in young and old leaves against cutting by the leaf-cutting antsAtta cephalotes(L.) andAcromyrmex octospinosus(Reich) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

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Abstract
In laboratory colonies ofAtta cephalotes(L.) andAcromyrmex octospinosus(Reich), discs cut from young leaves of several plant species were picked up more readily than those from old leaves. Pith sections impregnated with whole extracts of young leaves were consistently picked up in preference to others with extracts of old leaves, and non-lipid extracts were consistently preferred to extracts containing lipids. Arrestive properties were confined to the non-lipid extracts, and inhibitory properties were mainly found in the lipids, but removal of lipids from the whole extracts did not necessarily make them more arrestive. In most cases, dewaxing of leaves with chloroform made them more acceptable, and heating and freezing of leaves had a similar effect. Leaf waxes showed inhibitory properties. Wax extract of young leaves was often preferred to that of old leaves, and differences in preferences were observed for wax extracts from different plant species. The implications of these findings for the relationship between leaf-cutting ants and the vegetation that they cut are discussed.

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