Head to head
Green Weaver Ant vs Bullet Ant
The green weaver ant and the bullet ant are both famous for a single extraordinary trait, one for its remarkable leaf-stitching nest construction, the other for delivering what is widely considered the most painful insect sting on Earth.
| Green Weaver Ant | Bullet Ant | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Oecophylla smaragdina | Paraponera clavata |
| Size | Moderate | Among the largest ants, workers 18 to 30 mm |
| Signature trait | Stitches leaf nests together using larvae as silk tools | The most painful insect sting on the Schmidt pain index |
| Defence | Biting and spraying formic acid | An extremely painful sting lasting up to 24 hours |
| Nest location | High in trees, built from stitched leaves | In soil at the base of a tree |
| Diet | Omnivore, insects, honeydew, nectar | Omnivore, nectar, sap, and hunted arthropods |
| Range | South and Southeast Asia, northern Australia | Central America through the Amazon basin |
| Conservation status | Not Evaluated | Not Evaluated |
Green Weaver Ant vs Bullet Ant: common questions
Which ant has the more painful sting, the green weaver ant or the bullet ant?
The bullet ant by a wide margin, rated at the very top of the Schmidt sting pain index and described by those stung as feeling like being shot, far more severe than the green weaver ant's bite and formic acid spray.
How do the green weaver ant and bullet ant build their nests differently?
The green weaver ant builds its nest high in trees by stitching leaves together using larvae as living silk-producing tools, while the bullet ant nests in soil at the base of a tree, with foragers commuting up the trunk to feed.
Is either ant used in a human cultural practice?
Yes, the bullet ant is central to a manhood initiation ritual among the Sateré-Mawé people of Brazil, in which young men wear gloves woven with live bullet ants as a test of endurance, a practice the green weaver ant has no equivalent of.