There are just two species of ants in the genus Oecophylla, but they are ecologically dominant in the forests of three continents.
Oecophylla longinoda occurs across Africa while Oecophylla smaragdina is found in Asia and northern Australia.
Their success results mostly from the ability to build nests using living leaves that are stitched together with silk.

Ants are the world’s most ecologically important insects, both in terms of biomass and diversity of ecosystem services.
About 15,000 species inhabit almost all terrestrial habitats, including deserts and high mountains.
Ants are social insects characterised by a highly sophisticated division of labour: different individuals carry out different functions.

Khao Sok National Park area, Surat Thani Province, Thailand, 24 January 2013