Although the most famous weaver ants are in the genus Oecophylla, many weaving species also occur in Polyrhachis. Here, a Polyrhachis (Cyrtomyrma) robsoni worker sits atop a nest fashioned from a rolled leaf. The leaf is bound by silk spun from the ants' larvae.

Cape Tribulation, Queensland, Australia
A new world weaver ant (Camponotus sp.) guards the nest entrance.

Misahuallí, Napo, Ecuador
A new world weaver ant (Camponotus sp.) guards the nest entrance.

Misahuallí, Napo, Ecuador
Morning sun catches an orb web in the sand scrub of central Florida.

Archbold Biological Station, Florida, USA
Nephila clavipes golden silk spider.

Isla Contadora, Panama
Nephila clavipes golden silk spider.

Isla Contadora, Panama
Nephila clavipes golden silk spider.

Isla Contadora, Panama
Polyrhachis (Cyrtomyrma) sp.  This weaver ant colony has made a nest by folding a leaf and sealing the open ends with silk and debris.

Cape York Peninsula, Queensland, Australia
Winter leaf drop reveals a number of old Oecophylla smaragdina green tree ant nests.  The ants have moved on, but the signs of their presence remain.  Tree ants are polydomous, so the nests likely all belonged to a single colony.

Cape York Peninsula, Queensland, Australia
A new world weaver ant (Camponotus sp.) guards the nest entrance.

Misahuallí, Napo, Ecuador
A new world weaver ant (Camponotus sp.) guards the nest entrance.

Misahuallí, Napo, Ecuador
A new world weaver ant (Camponotus sp.) guards the nest entrance.

Misahuallí, Napo, Ecuador
See photo in original gallery.
all images and text © Alex Wild 2001-2013