Why do weaver ants carry their larvae between leaves?
Weaver ants bring leaves together, but the adults do not produce the silk that fastens them. In Oecophylla smaragdina, appropriately developed larvae provide the silk, making nest construction a partnership between life stages.
Questions you could explore
- Why would moving the larvae matter as much as moving the leaves?
Start reading
- Christian Peeters and Alan N. Andersen / Psyche; MIT archiveCooperation between dealate queens during colony foundation in the green tree ant, Oecophylla smaragdina
Describes workers holding leaves and weaving beginning after larvae arrive at the new nest. The archive’s text extraction has errors, so use the linked PDF for precise quotation.
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