Oecophylla smaragdina ( Fabricius, 1775 )

Oecophylla smaragdina ( Fabricius, 1775) View in CoL

Material examined. Bukit Batok East Avenue 6, 1.34304, 103.76235, 5 Oct 2016, G.W. Yong leg., BB6, ZRC _HYM_0001477-1478; same locality and collector as previous, 29 Sep 2016, ZRC _HYM_0001479-1481; Hougang Avenue 4, 1.34561, 103.88884, 14 Dec 2016, G.W. Yong leg., HA1GH914, ZRC _ HYM_0001488; same locality and collector as previous, 12 Dec 2016, HA3TH932, ZRC _HYM_0001489; Icube, National University of Singapore, 1.293472, 103.77633, May-Sep 2015, M.S. Foo & W. Wang leg., malaise trap, ZRC _BDP (multiple); Prince George’s Park Residences ( NUS), 1.29239, 103.77869, Apr-Jul 2015, same collectors as previous, malaise trap, ZRC _BDP (multiple); University Town ( NUS), 1.30622, 103.77458, May-Sep 2015, same collectors as previous, malaise trap, ZRC _BDP (multiple); Kranji Road, 1.42638, 103.75413, 8-10 Nov 2016, G.W. Yong leg., KR1, ZRC _HYM_0001461 – 1466; same locality and collector as previous, 8 Nov 2016, KR4, ZRC _HYM_0001467; same locality and collector as previous, 1 Nov 2016, KR8, ZRC _HYM_0001460; Pulau Ubin, 7 Jan 2014, Sk. Yamane leg., ZRC _HYM_0000379; Seletar Link, 1.40518, 103.88555, 25 Oct 2016, G.W. Yong leg., SL4GH1019, ZRC _HYM_0001490; Sunset Way, 1.32609, 103.77187, Aug-Sep 2016, G.W. Yong leg., SW2, ZRC _HYM_0001469- 1470; same locality and collector as previous, 23 Sep 2016, SW4GH309, ZRC _ HYM_0001471; same locality, collection date and collector as previous, SW6GH356, ZRC _HYM_0001472; same locality and collector as previous, 21-23 Sep 2016, pitfall trap, SW7, ZRC _HYM_0001172, 1473-1475; waste woodland beside Temasek Polytechnic, 1.34239, 103.93598, 13-15 Dec 2016, G.W. Yong leg., TT1, ZRC _HYM_0001482-1485; same locality, collection date and collector as previous, TT3, ZRC _HYM_0001486-1487. Pulau Semakau New Fragment, 1°12›04.5››N, 103°45›46.1››E, 2012, J. Puniamoorthy et al. leg., replanted mangroves, malaise trap, SMN2, ZRC _BDP (multiple) GoogleMaps .

Material not physically examined. Non-types, ANIC32-043666 About ANIC , 043928-043929 About ANIC , Tom Gush Collection 3698/3714 ( ANIC); ANIC32- 043930 About ANIC , Tom Gush Collection 3682 ( ANIC). Non-types, J.K. Wetterer leg. ( USNM) – Katong, Amber Road, 28 Jul 2014, vial #340, 349; Marine Parade, 28 Jul 2014, vial #357; City Hall, by church, 29 Jul 2014, vial #378; Dhoby Ghaut, Istana Park, 30 Jul 2014, vials #406 – 418; Punggol Point, 30 Jul 2014, vial #393; Katong, 1 Aug 2014, vials #443, 450; Promenade, by MRT station, 4 Aug 2014, vial #468; Pasir Panjang, by MRT station, 5 Aug 2014, vial #484 .

Literature. Viehmeyer (1916), Overbeck (1924); Tan & Corlett (2012); Yong et al. (2017); Wang et al. (2018).

Localities. Amber Road (Katong); Bukit Batok East; Bukit Timah Road; City Hall; Dhoby Ghaut; Hougang; Katong; Kranji; Marine Parade; National University of Singapore ( NUS); Pasir Panjang; Promenade; Pulau Semakau New Fragment; Pulau Ubin; Punggol Point; Seletar Link; Sunset Way, etc.

Habitat/Ecology. This species can be found in a broad range of different habitats with varying levels of disturbance in Singapore, including cultivated vegetation in semi-urban settings such as urban parks or overhead planters, also in both mature and young secondary forests and even mangroves. In parks, individuals have been seen on stone surfaces and foliage, sometimes in or on leaf litter. The species is known to create rather conspicuous nests comprising a ball-like structure of interwoven leaves and silken substrate, typically in bushes or shrubs pavement-side. Occasionally, large nests have been spotted in the crowns of large dipterocarp trees, which are typically mistaken for hornet hives by observers from afar.

Remarks. A highly aggressive and behaviourally dominant species that is apparently used for pest control in plantations such as oil palm.