Sunday, October 14, 2007

Oecophylla smaragdina


Green ants love the tropical coastal regions of Australia. Here are two busy workers attending to their nest made of living tree leaves in Little Victory's back yard. Don't let them nip you, though. That would hurt.

And if you are mining uranium in the Northern Territory, be careful not to disturb the eggs of the Great Green Ant, lest she re-emerge and consume the Earth.

10 comments:

Malach the Merciless said...

LOVE the light in this photo

Sara Sue said...

Beautiful. Are their butts green, or is that their head?

FreeOscar said...

I was wondering the same thing Sara Sue.

They look worse than fire ants.

Cissy Strutt said...

malach: I can't take credit for the Sun, but I will say thank you.

sara sue & cuntie: It's their little butts which are green. I've never been bitten by one, but I believe it's very ouchy.

Once in the back of a car Kezza had to do a panicked strip when she realised aggressive black ants had colonised her jeans. Extremely painful for her, but how we laughed (sympathetically).

Forrest Proper said...

Yummers! Are they good with hot sauce?

Sara Sue said...

OH good lord! In her pants?? (squirm)

Cissy Strutt said...

colonel: Anything is good with hot sauce.

sara sue: Now now, don't get excited!

here today, gone tomorrow said...

They're so pretty! (Sorry; I like bugs.)

Anonymous said...

I ate some green ants when I was in the Whitsundays - they tasted like citrus. I don't know if they were the same kind.

Nice pic. :-)

Cissy Strutt said...

hereTgoneT: There is so much to admire in the bug-o-sphere.

anaglyph: Citrus is a favourite aroma and flavour. How were the ants served? Tongued straight from the leaf? A la mode?

Glad you like the photograph.