
Asian Weaver Ant
Oecophylla smaragdina
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumArthropoda (Arthropods)
- ClassInsecta (Insects)
- OrderHymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Wasps, and Sawflies)
- FamilyFormicidae (Ants)
- GenusOecophylla (Typical Weaver Ants)
- SpeciesOecophylla smaragdina (Asian Weaver Ant)
In 3 days ~50% in a week ~80%
About the Asian Weaver Ant
Oecophylla smaragdina (common names include Asian weaver ant, weaver ant, green ant, green tree ant, and orange gaster) is a species of arboreal ant found in tropical Asia and Australia. These ants form colonies with multiple nests in trees, each nest being made of leaves stitched together using the silk produced by the ant larvae, hence the specific name oecophylla (Greek for "leaf-house").
Workers and major workers are mostly coloured orange. Workers are 5–7 mm (0.20–0.28 in) long; they look after larvae and farm scale bugs for honeydew. Major workers are 8–10 mm (0.3–0.4 in) long, with long, strong legs and large mandibles. They forage, assemble, and expand the nest. Queens are typically 20–25 mm (0.8–1.0 in) long, and normally greenish-brown, giving the species its specific name smaragdina (Latin: emerald).
Oecophylla smaragdina has a widespread distribution in tropical Asia and Australia, with its range extending from India through Indonesia and the Philippines to Northern Territory and Queensland in Australia. It is an arboreal species, making its nests among the foliage of trees. Nests are constructed during the night, with major... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Asian Weaver Ant in Udawalawe National Park
LIVEiNaturalistGlobal Distribution
Parks Where Found
Cities Where Found
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coimbatore | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 2 | Thiruvananthapuram | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 3 | Johor Bahru | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 4 | Manila | 🇵🇭 Philippines | |
| 5 | Semarang | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 6 | Yogyakarta | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 7 | Nagpur | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 8 | Ho Chi Minh City | 🇻🇳 Vietnam | |
| 9 | Colombo [Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte] | 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | |
| 10 | Jakarta | 🇮🇩 Indonesia |
Closest Relatives at Udawalawe National Park
Before you go
What are the chances of seeing an Asian Weaver Ant in Udawalawe National Park?
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report an Asian Weaver Ant sighting in Udawalawe National Park on a given day, based on 6 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 8th most-seen of the 12 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 50%, and over a week to about 80%, if each day is a fresh chance.
When is the best time to see an Asian Weaver Ant in Udawalawe National Park?
January, March and September
In those months about 40% of wildlife watchers report an Asian Weaver Ant in Udawalawe National Park on a given day, against under 5% in February, April, July–August and October–December, the lowest months.
What time of day is best to see an Asian Weaver Ant?
Between 9 am and noon
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Asian Weaver Ant sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Is Udawalawe National Park the best place to see an Asian Weaver Ant?
20th of 29
Of the 29 parks where we can rate Asian Weaver Ant sightings, Udawalawe National Park ranks 20th at about 20%. The best odds are in Daintree National Park (Australia, about 50%), Bako National Park (Malaysia, about 50%) and Litchfield National Park (Australia, about 50%). All parks ranked.
Where does the Asian Weaver Ant sighting chance come from?
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Asian Weaver Ant is recorded against all the insects logged in Udawalawe National Park (6 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.


