Oecophylla derived from Latin words, oeco (meaning house or household) and phylla (plural for phyllum which means having leaves or leaflike parts) and smaragdina, also derived from Latin, meaning emerald.

And so, Oecophylla smaragdina, the emerald leafhouse ant.

Oecophylla species are among the most iconic tropical ants presenting the most sophisticated nest-building activities of all weaver ants. Workers draw leaves together, often forming long chains, and glue them together with larval silk.

And this was what Fabricius saw, emerald leafhouse ants.

This is a Macau local species which is a very sought after species, especially as one of the first exotic Carpenter Ant species to have. Let’s learn more about them!