Myrmecia

Myrmecia
Red Bull Ant
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Subphylum: Hexapoda Class: Insecta Order: Hymenoptera Suborder: Apocrita Superfamily: Vespoidea Family: Formicidae Subfamily: Myrmeciinae Genus: Myrmecia
Species
Myrmecia aberrans Myrmecia auriventris Myrmecia cephalotes Myrmecia gulosa Myrmecia mandibularis Myrmecia nigrocincta Myrmecia picta Myrmecia pilosula Myrmecia tepperi Myrmecia urens

Myrmecia, often called bulldog ants, bull ants, or jack-jumpers (although jack jumper really only describes a specific species in the genus and not all species), is a genus of ants. Bull ants can grow to over 2 cm in length.

These ants are well-known in Australia for their aggressive behavior and powerful stings. The venom of these ants has a chance to induce anaphylactic shock in allergic sting victims. As with most severe allergic reactions, if left untreated the reaction may be lethal. These large, alert ants have characteristic large eyes and long, slender mandibles and they have superior vision, able to track and even follow intruders from a distance of 1 meter.

Bulldog Ant

Bulldog Ant

Diet

Bull ants eat small insects, honeydew (a sweet, sticky liquid found on leaves, deposited from various insects), seeds, fruit, fungi, gums, and nectar. The adult ants mainly eat nectar and honeydew, but the ant larvae are carnivores that eat small insects brought back to them by hunting worker ants. The workers can also regurgitate food back in the nest so other ants can eat it.

External links

• Brisbane Ants page on Myrmeciinae w/pictures, info
• Australian Ants Online: Myrmeciinae
• Myrmecos.net: Photo Gallery of Myrmecia bulldog ants
• Australian Museum Online: Bull ants Fact File

References

• Bugs take the squeeze to breathe easy
• Ants
• Red Bull ant
• [1]

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