Asian weaver ant

The Asian weaver ant (Oecophylla smaragdina) is a species of arboreal ant found in southeastern Asia, northern Australia, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands. These ants are renowned for their intricate nests, constructed from living leaves woven together with silk produced by their larvae.12

Weaver ants primarily feed on other insects and honeydew, a sweet liquid excreted by invertebrates like mealybugs. They actively protect mealybug colonies to ensure a steady supply of honeydew and use their sharp mandibles and keen eyesight to hunt various insects.12

These ants are considered a pinnacle of ant social evolution and are among the most dominant social insects in the Old World tropics. They are also utilized as a biological control agent against pests that damage tropical tree crops, and in some parts of Southeast Asia, both the ants and their larvae are consumed as food.2