Oecophylla smaragdina is the Asian weaver ant: a bright orange tree ant that builds its nests by pulling leaves together and stitching them with silk from its own larvae. Watching a chain of workers bend a leaf into shape is one of the most impressive sights in ant keeping. In the wild they rule the treetops of tropical Asia, defending their territory fiercely with strong bites and formic acid. They need high temperatures and high humidity, and even then they are very hard to keep. This is an expert species.
Leaf weaving · Bright orange workers · Very large colonies · Hot and humid · Expert only
Key features
Builds nests from leaves stitched together with larval silk
Large majors and small minors in one colony
Can grow very fast on a diet rich in insects
Needs high temperatures and high humidity
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