Nesting, Protective and Foraging Behavior of Oecophylla smaragdina (Weaver Ants) in Anand, Gujarat

Abstract

The ant species of genus Oecophylla shows unexpected social behavior (eusociality). Our present study reveals the development of nests, protective behavior and foraging behavior by O. smaragdina. According to the studies, a single nest has different types of castes that help to build a nest. We studied several nests during summer (>42°C). The castes: workers, drones and queens constitute the nest. The queen during their nuptial flight, mate with the male and comes back to the nest for laying eggs. The worker ants squeeze the fluid (lac/silk) from unfertilized eggs of drone larva at the periphery for sealing the leaves. In our study, we have also focused on possessiveness of ants towards their colony mates. It has been observed that once their colony is disturbed they begin to migrate to other places of same or different tree to prepare a new shelter for them. The queens in the colony feed up on insects captured by workers. Ants obtain their food with the help of other nest mates by a specialized activity known as "foraging". It is well adapted by ants and it is achieved by special group called foragers. Together with food, they generally march towards their own nest rather than moving to others nest conforming nest specificity. In this study, we have considered O.smaragdina. From the study, we have concluded that O.smaragdina show eusociality for nest building, protecting and foraging behavior.