Insects

[Kanga Japan]

Can someone tell me if the following two insects are the same:

MAE PENG (แม่เป้ง)

MOD DAENG (มดแดง)

In the following site they are shown with the same scientific name, but different English names:

http://www.iufost.org/iufostftp/Revd%20Sirithon%20Chapter%2016.pdf

MAE PENG is described as 'queen caste' and MOD DAENG is described as 'weaver ant'.

Thanks for your help.

[NamKAheng]

Mae peng I think it is queen ant and correct me if I am wrong but mod daeng should be translate as red ant

[Kanga Japan]

Dear NamKAheng,

Thank you for your reply.

I guess that they are different types of ants, as you say, but still within the same scientific category.

[AyG]

It's rather like with bees, where you have the queen bee, workers and drones. They're all the same species, but are different in function and form.

"Red ant" is the literal translation of MOT DAENG, but the usual English name for them is "weaver ants"

[Kanga Japan]

Dear AyG,

Thanks for that extra explanation.

Actually, I did list it as 'weaver ant (red ant)',

Much appreciated.

[NamKAheng]

Weaver ants in Thai is มดทอ mot taa

[Kanga Japan]

Dear NamKAheng,

Thank you for that information. However, I am a little suspicious that MOT TAA may be either a local name for MOT DAENG, or the name of a different species of ant.

All the sites I have found for MOT DAENG list it as either 'weaver ants' or 'red ants' (although they may be red or green). The scientific name for them is Oecophylla smaragdina.

Sorry to bother you, but could you possibly give me the scientific name for MOT TAA and if possible the name of the site you found it on?

I appreciate your help.

[NamKAheng]

The scientific name is oecophylla smaragdina fabricius, mostly Thai called them mot daeng but when I ask about the weaver ants they give me the name mot taa. I did not find it on a web site.

[Kanga Japan]

Dear NamKAheng,

Thank you for your reply.

I appreciate the additional information, but I think I will just leave it as MOT DAENG, to avoid confusion, seeing I cannot confirm MOT TAA on any internet sites.

It could probably be correct, as many insects, vegetables, etc. have multiple names.

Thanks again.