African Weaver Ant Oecophylla longinoda

Oecophylla longinoda is a unique ant species that lives in the canopy of many plants and trees in the tropical rainforest in Africa. There, they use the larvae's silk to construct nests. Despite being smaller than their Asian sisters (Oecophylla smaragdina), the Oecophylla longinoda species has more worker polymorphism, with small workers of about 3mm to a huge 9mm. The queen ant is way bigger, 12-14mm with a really beautiful colouration. Queen's lifespan is 8-10 years. The workers frequently construct lengthy cords from the leaves to "weave" with the silk. The nest is always in ideal condition thanks to the leaves' transpiration. Oecophylla are fiercely territorial protectors who will fight back against any uninvited creatures. For hundreds of years, they were used as biological agents throughout Asia and Africa. Both the ground and the tree are being searched for food. They have one of the most intricate communication systems of any social insect, along with leafcutter ants. Tropical Africa's wooded areas are home to the arboreal ant species Oecophylla longinoda. They and O. smaragdina are the only two species of the genus Oecophylla found so far.

Colony Form: Monogyne, means only one queen per colony.

These ants do not hibernate.

Find out everything you need to know about these amazing Ant Species: Asian Weaver Ants: The Masters of Nest Building and Colony Structure 

Ant farm recommendations:

Temperature: Nest: 24 - 28 Degree Celsius; Outworld: 21 - 30 Degree Celsius

Air Humidity: Nest part: 70 - 80%; Outworld: 50 - 60%

Food preference: carbs (organic Ant honey) and proteins (protein jelly, small insects, fruit flies or baby crickets).

Interesting Facts and Myths Surrounding the African Weaver AntPeople's fascination with Weaver Ants has resulted in the creation of intriguing myths and legends about their behaviour and abilities throughout history. One such myth is that by eating them, these ants have therapeutic qualities and can heal illnesses. These claims are unsupported by scientific data, but the myth is still present in some Chinese traditional medical practices.

On another note, Oecophylla longinoda has been used for centuries as a biological agent, they find and destroy lots of fruit pests. Isn't ant keeping fascinating?