The Distribution of the Weaver Ant, Oecophylla-Smaragdina (Fabricius) (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) in Northern Australia

Abstract

Following a questionnaire survey and field studies, the weaver ant, Oecophylla smaragdina (Fab.), was found to inhabit much of the coastal area of tropical Australia. With discriminant analyses, the observed distribution pattern was explained by the combination of two physical parameters, mean annual rainfall and average minimum temperature. These may limit Oecophylla distribution in at least two ways: (1) low temperatures directly inhibit larval development; (2) both rainfall and temperature levels limit the distribution of the forest-woodland vegetation required by this arboreal ant.