When someone says they have a “green ant” problem, the type of ant they mean depends on where they live. For most Australians, green ants or more accurately green headed ants are biting ants found on lawns in most of Australia. For those in the tropical north, people refer to green wood ants (also called weaver ants), which build their nests in trees.
Green-headed ants (Metallica Rhytidoponera)

Green headed ant
Where do they live?
Green-headed ants are found Australia wide and are commonly found in urban areas and forests.
Nest description
Nests are usually found in lawns and under rocks and logs. often
conduct
Green-headed ants usually only feed when the sun is up. They have a wide diet but prefer animal material obtained through scavenging and predation. They usually have only one nest but can have multiple queens. The queens look very similar to the workers and also forage.
Pest status
As green-headed ants like to make their nests in lawns and deliver a painful sting, an infestation can make lawns unusable by children and pets.
Bite symptoms
The sting can be painful causing local redness and swelling. The sting site may itch for several days.
Treating the bite
An ice pack immediately after the puncture to reduce pain. Medicines to reduce itching can be used if necessary. If the patient suffers from an allergic reaction, seek medical help immediately.
Control of treatments
Green-head ants are most effectively controlled with granular baits, such as PestXpert Nest Kill Bait. The bait is returned to the nest where it is shared with other members of the colony. As it is important that all the queens are eliminated, this is a very effective ant control treatment. Baits move slowly by design (to ensure they spread through the colony) – there should be a large reduction in search volume in 2-3 days with colony control in 1-2 weeks. PestXpert Nest Kill Ant Bait comes in 150g and 500g pack sizes options for all lawn sizes.
green wood ant (Oecophylla smaragdina is a species of flowering plant)

Green wood ant
Where do they live?
Green wood ants are found on the east coast from Gladstone to the tropical north, around the Northern Territory and the Kimberly region of WA.
Nest description
Green tree ants are arboreal – they live in trees, rarely coming to the ground. They make their nest by pulling leaves and sticking them in the dirt. Colonies can be extremely large, consisting of many trees and consisting of several hundred thousand workers.

Green wood ants ‘glue’ leaves to make their nests in grasses and trees.
conduct
Green wood ants eat other insects they find on trees and also ‘farm’ small insects (Hemiptera) that produce sweet nectar. They are very aggressive ants that defend their territory.
Pest status
Green wood ants are sometimes used by native farmers as a bio control agent, because they are very effective and remove pest insects from wood plants. However, they make harvesting a problem due to their aggressive behavior. For homeowners, their presence in trees and shrubs can make planting a problem.
Bite symptoms
Green wood ants do not have stingers, but they can bite and also have the ability to spray formic acid, which is harmful if bitten.
Treating the bite
Wash any bites and use a cold pack to relieve any pain.
Control of treatments
Green wood ants do not find baits easily. The best method of prevention is through direct nest treatments, although in cases of a large colony, finding and treating all nests can be a challenge. PestXpert Pro-Spray Outdoor perimeter is an ideal treatment product for every nest. With a 1 m metal spray wand, it is easy to insert into the nest chamber and treat the nest, while keeping your distance!
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