EPOW - Ecology Picture of the Week

Each week a different image of our fascinating environment is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional ecologist.

11-17 March 2019

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Bull Ant

Bull Ant (Myrmecia sp.), Family Formicidae
Creswick Regional Park, Victoria, Australia

Credit & Copyright: Dr. Bruce G. Marcot

Explanation:  Measuring well over an inch (up to 4 cm) long, this is a bull ant ... sporting jaws that inflict a heck of a bite. 

Also armed with fine eyesight, bull ants consist of over 90 species found throughout most of Australia which hardly needs any more biting species beyond its complement of venomous snakes.

  
 

  
These are aggressive insects that actually sting with a hidden stinger rather than bite.  And they can sting multiple times, each sting injecting more venom.  
  

    
They aggressively defend their ground nests.  In this regional park in Victoria, Australia, I discovered their nest entrance being a tube formed from the soil and probably their secretions:

         

   
And after a very short time, one ant appeared at the opening, apparently serving as defender guard:

 

Acknowledgments:
     My thanks to special friends Dr. Trent and Near-Dr. Sandra Penman who hosted my visit to this wonderful natural area.  
  
       

Next week's picture:  Sky Afire

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