Leaf-cutting ants use size to determine leaf portions.
Leaf-cutting ants determine the size of the leaf fragments they carve with their mandibles by keeping track of the position of the leaf edge using their hind legs while pivoting their bodies as they trim. They adapt their technique by crouching their legs to reduce their reach to cut smaller elliptically shaped fragments when provided with thick leaves. The ants depend on knowledge of the location of the leaf edge provided by their legs and the position of their heads to keep them cutting on the curve and ensure that they never excise fragments that exceed their exceptional strength.