Complex nests are built by many species of ants, whilst others are nomadic and do not build permanent structures. Ants may form subterranean nests or build them on trees. Nests can be found in the ground, under stones or logs, inside logs, hollow stems or even sticks and acorns. The materials used for construction include soil and plant matter, and ants carefully select their nest sites.
Some species are quick to abandon established nests at the first sign of threats.
The army ants of South America and the driver ants of Africa do not build permanent nests, but instead alternate between nomadism and stages where the workers form a bivouac (temporary nest) from their own bodies, by holding each other together.
Weaver ant (Oecophylla sp.) workers build nests in trees by attaching leaves together, first pulling them together with bridges of workers and then inducing their larvae to produce silk as they are moved along the leaf edges. Similar forms of nest construction are seen in some species of Polyrhachis.
Tags: Frequently Asked Question | Behaviour | Oecophylla | Polyrhachis
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