Spiny Ant - Polyrhachis Ant - Animal India

Polyrhachis ants also known as spiny ants are a genus of formicine ants found in the Old World, comprising over 600 species. Polyrhachis ants are known to nest in various plants, including bamboo, trees, and date palms. Polyrhachis ants are recognized for their diverse nest-building techniques, which can include soil-based nests as well as nests in trees. Some species are notable for weaving their nests using silks produced by their larvae, a more complex method than that used by many other ants. While Polyrhachis ants do not possess stingers, they can spray formic acid through an organ called an acidopore. The earliest fossil record for this genus is Polyrhachis annosa, which dates back to the Miocene epoch. Some Polyrhachis black ants are crawling on the branches of a weed in the forest at Tehatta, West Bengal, India, on December 28, 2024.