Oecophylla smaragdina (austral. weaver ants)
Video:
| Latin Name: |  |
Oecophylla smaragdina |
| Trivialname: |  |
Green tree ant |
| Taxonomy: |  |
Subfamily: Formicinae Tribe: Oecophyllini |
| Keeping Level: |  |
(2) show higher requirements to climate and escapeprevention |
| Distribution: |  |
North to Northeast Australia |
| Habitate: |  |
tropical Rainforest |
| Colonyform: |  |
polygyne |
| Queen: |  |
Size: 20 - 22mm Colour: yellowish green to green, bulky thorax |
| Worker: |  |
Size: 8 - 12mm Colour: Head and Gaster green to greenish brown, slim |
| Soldier: |  |
not present |
| Males: |  |
Size: 7mm Colour: reddish brown |
| Nutrion: |  |
honeywater, insects like crickets, Houseflies also fruits e.g Grapes |
| Airhumidity: |  |
Arena: 50 - 70% Nestpart: 70 - 90% |
| Temperature: |  |
Arena: 21 - 30°C Nestpart: 24 - 28°C |
| Hibernation: |  |
no |
| Nestform: |  |
silknests in the Canopy of there Hostplant |
| Kind of Formicaria: |  |
Basin, Framebasin, Island, Acrylcylinder |
| Formicaria size: |  |
Size: L - XL depending of the chosen hostplant |
| Substrate: |  |
Farm: - Arena: Sand-loam, Humus suitable for Hostplant |
| Planting: |  |
similar to tropicalforest with moss and e. g. Money tree (Pachira aquatica), Weeping Fig (Ficus benjamini), Coffee (Coffea arabica), Citrusplant (Citrus spec.) |
| Decoration: |  |
Branches, Cork, Moss |
| Description: |  |
This antspecie lives in the canopy of different Plants. There they build nests with the silk of the larvae. The worker often build long chains between the leaves and "weave" with the silk. Through the Transpiration of the leaves there is always the right condtion inside the nest. Oecophylla is very aggressive and defend there territory against any Intruder. In asia they were used as biological agent for hundreds of years. They are searching for on the tree and on the ground. Together with the leafcutterants they show one of the most complex communication system in all socialinsects. It contains of pheromones, tactile and optical communication. If there a lack of food or other unsuitabel conditions they often try to escape. Large colonies with there hundreds of bites and formicacid can also defend large Intruders (Keeper). |
| Development: |  |
matingflight: - founding: claustral colonysize: up a few hundred thousand workers |
| Quantity: |  |
one fertilized queen with workers (see selection); brood (depending on the season and development) |
| Weblinks: |  |
- Forum - Reference |
