In this dire situation, the snake realizes the danger, akin to a “fish lying on the chopping block.”
The snake made a mistake when it saw a massive weaver ant nest but still decided to crawl across.
A green rat snake (Scientific name: Ahaetulla nasuta), which has mild venom, encountered a nest of weaver ants (Scientific name: Oecophylla smaragdina). Despite seeing the ant nest as large as a ball, the snake had no intention of avoiding it and decided to crawl right through.
This was a grave mistake; weaver ants are known for their aggressive nature and extraordinary strength (relative to their size). They typically wrap leaves together to create their nests in trees using silk produced by their larvae.
The weaver ants also possess a potent weapon: formic acid, which has a strong odor and can cause skin burns. They spray this liquid at intruders to defend their nest. The snake became ensnared in the silk meant to bind the leaves of the ant nest and was quickly overwhelmed by the swarm of ants.
Only then did the snake realize the danger, but it was too late; it could do nothing but lie helplessly, waiting for the ants to tear into it. It struggled fiercely to escape the weaver ant nest, and fortunately, this effort allowed it to retain its life.
