Sunday, January 9, 2011

RED ANT (Oecophylla smaragdina)

Oecophylla smaragdina


Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Formicidae
Subfamily:Formicinae
Tribe: Oecophyllini
Genus: Oecophylla


Weaver Ants eat any small creatures that they can find












































O. smaragdina found in southern India
Like many other ant species, weaver ants prey on small insects and supplement their diet with carbohydrate-rich honeydew excreted by small insects
Although Oecophylla weaver ants lack a functional sting they can inflict painful bites and often spray formic acid directly at the bite wound resulting in intense discomfort.