Myrmecia

Species of Myrmecia forage on the ground or on low vegetation, primarily during the day but a few will also forage at night. They collect nectar and plant juices as well as animal prey, the latter being fed to their larvae. Most species nest in soil, often with a mound which is sometimes covered with pebbles or plant fragments. A few species nest in rotten logs and one northern rainforest species nests arboreally in epiphytic ferns. Most nests are small with only a few hundred workers but some groups commonly have up to a few thousand workers. They are aggressive and have a very potent sting and well developed vision. They will freely chase intruders away from their nests. The larger species can run rapidly across the ground or through vegetation while the smaller "jack jumpers" can cover ground very quickly using a rapid series of short jumps. Having several dozen large ants poring out of a disturbed nest, with jaws open and stings ready and heading straight for the intruder, is more than sufficient to discourage even the most determined collector. Their stings can cause severe allergic reactions in some individuals, even causing death in some cases.

Most species of Myrmecia have large, fully winged queens which establish new nests by leaving their parental nests, mating and forming a new nest in a suitable location. However, some species lack this type of queen and have worker-like (ergatoid) queens instead. Other species are temporary social parasites, that is they establish new nests by having a queen invade the established nest of another species, kill its queen and use its workers to raise the brood of the invading queen. One species has lost its worker caste all together and its queens and males are found permanently in the nests of other species.



Worker of M. gulosa from New South Wales.



Worker of M. mandibularis from Western Australia.

Identification
All species of Myrmecia are large, the smallest being over 6 mm long. Their long, straight mandibles, large eyes and often bright colours will separate them from all other ants in Australia.

Distribution and Habitats
Australian distribution

Regional Species Lists

 * Australia

Keys to Species

 * Australia