Weaver Ant (incl. nest)

I absolutely love these little Ants. The tree in the front yard of where I live has a lot of Weaver Ant nests which means loads of Weaver Ants - on the ground, on the troopy - and a lot of old nests on the ground. I have often taken some of these little critters for a ride down to the supermarket or work or where-ever I was going, and I know I brought at least some of them back home!

The Weaver Ants are so called because of the way they construct their nests (see pic 2) - by pulling leaves together and binding them by the silk from the larvae.

Interesting info in reference to their use as a biological control: "Large colonies of Oecophylla weaver ants consume significant amounts of food, and workers continuously kill a variety of arthropods (primarily other insects) close to their nests. Insects are not only consumed by workers, but this protein source is necessary for brood development. Because weaver ant workers hunt and kill insects that are potentially harmful plant pests, trees harboring weaver ants benefit from having decreased levels of herbivory. They have traditionally been used in biological control in Chinese and Southeast Asian citrus orchards from at least 400 AD. Many studies have shown the efficacy of using weaver ants as natural biocontrol agents against agricultural pests. The use of weaver ants as biocontrol agents has especially been effective for fruit agriculture, particularly in Australia and southeast Asia." (Wiki)

Further information: http://www.greenpagesaustralia.com.au/green-tree-ant