Leaf Cutting Ant Forum

I have been observing, when I place a new species of leaf into the forage area, how it is received. They step onto the leaf and stop, sensing the surface. Then they walk around the perimeter of the leaf, as if checking out the thickness or type of edge the leaf has. Then they disappear underneath it and have a look over the underside. They then either latch on and start cutting or they walk away. This has happened each time I have placed a new species of leaf. With the plants they know and love e.g. privet, they are on that within a few minutes and off they go cutting. I suspect they go and communicate to others that something new has arrived, because sometimes a new leaf, which I thought they had ignored, has been cut the next day. I'm guessing that they'll cut most forage eventually, but observing their 'checking it out' behaviour is so interesting.