Temperature also plays a role in how deep a queen will make her nest. Nests have to be made at a depth below where lethal temperatures occur (below 5 cm).Rissing, S.W., R.A. Johnson, and G.B. Pollock. (1986). Natal Nest Distribution and Pleometrosis in the Desert Leaf-Cutter Ant Acromyrmex versicolor (Pergande) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Psyche a Journal of Entomology 93: 177-186. Building nests under trees allows colonies to remain below lethal temperatures and also does not require them to be so deep (2–3 cm). Having a nest under a tree also allows colonies to be closer to food sources such as leaves.
