Protected inside a translucent silken tent, Oecophylla longinoda weaver ants gather honeydew from mealybugs. The ants weave the tent using silk produced by their larvae. St. Lucia, KZN, South Africa
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
This ant nest- crafted from living leaves in an African forest- is held together by silk spun by the larvae. This unusual nesting habit has earned these insects (Oecophylla longinoda) the common names 'weaver ant' and 'tailor ant.' St. Lucia, KZN, South Africa
