Oecophylla smaragdina (asian weaver ants)
Video:
05/2022: Currently we have the green variant of the Asian Oecophylla smaragdina
| Latin Name: |  |
Oecophylla smaragdina |
| Trivialname: |  |
Red Treeant, Weaverant |
| Taxonomy: |  |
Subfamily: Formicinae Tribe: Oecophyllini |
| Keeping Level: |  |
(2) higher requirements towards climate and escapeprevention |
| Distribution: |  |
southeast Asia |
| Habitat: |  |
tropical rainforest |
| Colonyform: |  |
monogyne |
| Queen: |  |
Size: 15 - 17mm Colour: vigorous, often green, brown |
| Worker: |  |
Size: 6 - 14mm Colour: reddish brown to brown, slim with long extremities |
| Soldier: |  |
not present |
| Males: |  |
Size: - Colour: - |
| Nutrition |  |
Honeywater, Insects e.g. Dipterans like Flies or Mosquitos |
| Airhumidity: |  |
Arena: 30 - 50% Nestpart: 50 - 70% |
| Temperature: |  |
Arena: 21 - 35°C Nestpart: 24 - 28°C |
| Hibernation: |  |
no |
| Nestform: |  |
Build their nest in the canopy of trees using the silk of there offspring |
| Kind of Formicaria: |  |
Basin, Framebasin, Island, Acrylcylinder |
| Formicaria size: |  |
Size: L - XL depending on the chosen hostplant |
| Substrate: |  |
Farm: - Arena: Sand, Sand-Loam 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) |
| Decoration: |  |
Branches, Roots |
| 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 leafcutter ants they show one of the most complex communication system in all social insects. 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: with begin of the rainseason founding: claustral (without feeding) colonysize: up to 100 000 Individuals |
| Quantity: |  |
one fertilized queen with workers (see selection); brood (depending on the season and development) |
| Weblinks: |  |
- Forum - Reference |
