Tree-Top Engineers: The Fascinating World of Weaver Ants

Did you know that not all ants live in anthills? “Weaver ants” live in the treetops across Asia, Australia, and Africa. Instead of digging holes, they actually stitch leaves together into large spherical nests. Dozens or even hundreds of weavers ants cooperate to bind leaves together. To reach distant leaves, ants will form a chain, bridging the leaves. Situated along the edges like staples, they grab one leaf with their mandibles, the other with their legs, and pull! Weaver ants then use their larva like hot glue guns, irreversibly binding the leaves together with silk. It’s no surprise that weaver ants will viciously protect their homes, confronting anything from fruit flies to large invertebrates. Chinese farmers discovered this 1700 years ago, and since then, farmers across Asia have been utilizing weaver ants as natural pesticides, defending against pests. Well, except for tiny, sap-feeding, “scale insects”. The ants instead opt to shepherd them and feed off their excreted honeydew.

And one more thing: weaver ants are highly nutritious, and along with their eggs, they are eaten as a delicacy in Thailand, and allegedly taste pretty good!