Green Tree Ant (Oecophylla smaragdina)

Green tree ants, or weaver ants, build nests constructed from leaves fastened together in a clump, inside which the colony lives. They live in tropical and subtropical areas and are relatively common. The venom contained in their sting, like those of many other Australian species of ant, are particularly likely to produce allergies. What makes this species particularly worth note is the fact that they are very territorial and very aggressive. The single colony may occupy a territory which includes a number of trees, and the territory is patrolled by individuals which readily attack any intruder.