A community that works together.

If you have travelled or lived in northern Australia, you will almost certainly have met a green ant or two. They are wildly territorial and will swarm on anything that poses a threat to their nesting environment, including humans!  

Green ants create nests from leaves that are pulled together by lots of worker ants who cooperate to hold the leaves together whilst another group of ants bring larvae that secrete silk to glue the leaves together. A series of these leaf nests may form part of a colony of green ants with each one used for a different purpose – one may be the bunkhouse for the worker ants, another to store larvae and yet another to house the queen. There may be tens of thousands of ants in these super colonies which may be set in several trees. Green ants can also build bridges and ladders with their bodies.

They will protect and care for other insects in order to enjoy eating their sugary secretions. 

A tonic for coughs and colds can be made by immersing an entire green ant nest in hot water, then crush it, boil it and drink.   

In more recent times, green ants have become a sought-after bush tucker product in the food industry. This has created an opportunity for remote communities to collect them on their ancestral lands and derive an income. The green sac on the ants has a delicious citrus taste and they are used to add an exotic flavour to products such as gin, jams and freeze dried to include in desserts.   

You people who don't want to work, think about the ant!
Consider its ways and be wise!
It has no commander.
It has no leader or ruler.
But it stores up its food in summer.
It gathers its food at harvest time.
- Proverbs 6:6-8