genus ants established danish zoologist genus member subfamily family large genus ants comprising species found australia coastal islands single species known species introduced natural distribution found new_zealand seen ants commonly known bulldog ants jack ants associated common names characterised extreme painful species known jumping behaviour exhibit agitated species genus characterised elongated large compound eyes provide excellent vision vary colour size ranging millimetres workers queens hard distinguish similar appearance males identifiable smaller species little variation workers given species queens wings completely developed wings nests found soil found rotten wood rocks species nest ground colonies found trees queen mate males colony foundation hunt food brood fully developed life cycle egg adult takes months workers exhibit greater longevity comparison ants workers able reproduce male ants primitive group ants earth exhibiting differentiated ants workers solitary hunters lead workers food adults feed sweet substances larvae feed captured prey predators eat ants sting larvae consumed number parasites adults brood species effective potent ants toxic insect world tasmania human population venom suffer life threatening reactions human deaths recorded people prone severe reactions treated etymology common names generic derives greek word meaning western_australia australian called ants meaning lion ants genus popularly known bulldog ants bull ants jack ants way hang victims jumping behaviour displayed species common names include inch ants sergeant ants soldier ants jack members species group commonly known black ants ants jumping ants jumping ants taxonomy evolution genetic evidence suggests diverged related groups approximately million years ago subfamily belongs believed found fossil record million years ago study suggests age recent common ancestor million years ago subfamily possibly younger previously thought ants extinct genus possibly ancestor evans primitive genera exhibit behaviour similar clade soil dwelling families species groups form species groups form following shows phylogenetic relationships classification established danish zoologist publication seven species genus placed genus description new species classified numerous families british placed family subfamily placed subfamily austrian classification short lived reclassified genus subfamily years later italian classified genus newly established subfamily family smith originally established family reclassified subfamily treat family swiss initially treated subfamily classified constituent genera later placed placed genus subfamily later placed american placed time genus placed different subfamily classified based shape established subgenus ants placed characterised jumping behaviour taxon described referred later publications genera time clark reclassified subgenus genus revised subfamily recognising species subspecies species groups assigned species groups revision rejected lack morphological evidence genera distinct brown classify synonym clark revision major taxonomic study genus single species described intervening years new ants described exclusive australia currently species described genus species exist present classification extant genus tribe subfamily member family belonging order type species genus discovered expedition hms earliest australian insects described specimen banks collected housed joseph banks collection london described later designated type species number individual varies species genus contained single pair males lowest number possible animal workers species like contains single ants single contains contains count respectively genus retains traits considered basal ants workers foraging relying visual cues species groups contains total species groups originally seven species groups established raised total appear species group type specimen available description ants easily noticeable large large compound eyes provide excellent vision powerful sting use kill prey eyes contains making second largest world size varies widely ranging millimetres length largest species workers measuring millimetres workers largest world species known species exists known worker sub exist distinguish different forms lack food winter fact colonies division labour based size age larger workers foraging food keeping guard outside nest smaller workers tend brood variable black combined red yellow common pattern species golden coloured hair species brightly coloured warns predators avoid similar appearance data suggests mimic number differs males queens range workers worker ants usually size true species worker ants example vary length millimetres workers long number teeth short antennae consist segments eyes large convex based study sensory known types large present queens usually larger workers similar colour body shape head broader queen shorter broad queens unique particular species fully winged queens queens poorly developed wings queens wings example queens meaning completely excavated nests showed evidence winged queen residing species queens meaning wings queens developed wing queens small rudimentary wings render queen queens developed wings considered rare species forms queens queens males easy identify broad smaller antennae consist segments length ants bodies exhibits male worker characteristics males known male collected hatched long excessively curved left small right body structurally male left appeared female head longer female colour darker legs smaller male male retracted cavity located posterior end sperm structurally animal sperm forming oval head long tail largest larvae examined reaching lengths millimetres enclosed dark distribution habitat species genus found australia coastal islands species native australia found established nests outside native range discovered new_zealand recorded devonport single nest destroyed sources suggest introduced new_zealand human activity found inside wooden brought australia attempt new_zealand government found country presumed ants genus prefer inhabit forests heath urban areas woodland nests found forest dry forest woodland forests woodland wet dry forests live dry coastal plain queen establishes new colony nest simple structurally nest gradually expands colony grows larger nests found debris decaying tree stumps rotten logs rocks sand soil stones species nest underground nesting species found genus types nests described genus simple nest noticeable shaft inside complex structure surrounded mound species construct dome shaped containing single entrance nests numerous holes constantly extend metres underground half metre high workers nests variety items including leaves plant fragments twigs ants warmth nests dry materials heat quickly providing nest solar energy traps behaviour ecology foraging genus primitive known living ants ants genus considered specialist predators unlike ants workers solitary hunters lay trails recruit food tandem running occur workers carrying workers method transportation rare executed known lay trails food capable inducing territorial alarm attack suggesting ants induce alarm territorial alarm behaviour sources substance sac found attack despite ants primitive ants exhibit considered advanced adults groom brood distinct nest exist colony species forage ground low vegetation search food nocturnal forage night ants active warmer months dormant winter nocturnal species active year unique foraging schedule individuals went forage left nest minutes workers return nest duration time dusk foraging workers rely landmarks navigation home displaced short distance scan surroundings rapidly direction nest ants carry dead nest mates nests place refuse piles behaviour known ants somewhat rare species observed flowers example winged male usually occurs april june warm days short lived males die flower queens males flower flower attempt workers recorded visiting flowers considered potential trees self compatible inability appropriately release restrict capacity effect foraging workers regularly observed family seen ants jaw habit cleaning leaves stems rich plants moving preventing exchange unknown contributes diet despite adults consuming sweet sticky liquid found leaves deposited insects sweet substances larvae reach certain size fed insects capture kill workers food ants consume young ants rarely fed food adults adult workers prey variety insects beetles saw flies spiders prey include invertebrates bees ants particular workers prey ants subgenus risky ants able help chemical signals scale insects frogs grass seeds collected food flies consumed species attack small fly species ignore larger ones nests social spider invaded ants nests housing spiders filled debris twigs leaves workers rendering useless earth tactics prevent spiders competing ants attacks christmas beetles workers later bury genera workers lay eggs eggs laid food viable offspring workers laying eggs reported species species depending species colonies queens larvae eat eggs laid worker individuals workers feed eggs adults larvae consume food winter larvae known occur year larvae likely happen dead insects available predators parasites associations ants deter potential predators sting larvae avoiding potent sting adults vulnerable short eats eggs larvae assassin bug species lure ants trying sting waving hind legs attract potential prey item body remains found stomach contents eastern yellow robin australian black white winged prey ants successfully taken host association began million years ago larvae host recorded affected parasite changes ants colour typical black appearance brown discovered brown workers found spores black workers showed spores unidentified parasite known larvae species parasite cuticle parasites include known species genus live colonies queen found colony attendant butterfly blue species particularly species notably genus ants able enter colony species attacked unable recognize alien try distinguish ants colony share form relationship known species live raise young separately host nest colonies single colony found nests inside beetles beetles genus inside colonies frogs found living nests example reported living inside colonies life cycle like ants ants begin egg egg female male develop complete meaning pass stages emerging adults process founding colony queens cooperate find suitable nesting ground generation workers born fight queen left alive occasional colonies known queens peacefully presence workers queen searches suitable nest site establish colony small chamber soil logs rocks takes care young queen hunts prey instead staying nest behaviour known colony founding queens provide sufficient amounts food feed larvae generation workers smaller smallest workers encountered older developed colonies species worker solitary queens raid colony kill residing queen colony generation workers fully develop adults example eggs months days fully develop species months queens lay eggs half eggs fully develop species lay eggs singly colony floor ants lay eggs eggs larvae present said certain species lay eggs singly form eggs instead larvae capable crawling short distances assistance adult workers workers cover larvae dirt help spin isolated colony capable skin hatching allowing advance newborn emerge assistance ants ants born able identify distinct tasks known primitive trait life spans vary species longevity greater genera life span year workers live years oldest recorded worker living years colony deprived workers queens able revert colony founding sustainable workforce colony new nesting spot altogether reproduction virgin queens males appear colonies january flight females fewer found single colony males common flight begins different times species recorded mid summer autumn january early april case flight occurring july ideal conditions flight hot stormy days temperatures reaching elevations metres flights rarely recorded queens leaving nest singly queens leave nest time species queens mating males societies occur single nest particular species primarily primarily example nearly tested colonies colonies flight takes place morning late afternoon leave nest species launch air trees shrubs launch ground queens discharge males strongly attracted gather mate queen found males attempting queen unable bear weight large number males trying mate drop ground ants later queens fly males meet queen open area away nest mate queens return nest mating independent dependent colony foundation occur mating isolation distance patterns recorded queens nests tend closer genetically related comparison nests away independent colony foundation closely associated queens engage flight areas far home colony showing dependent colony foundation occurs mate near nest cases queens seek adoption alien colonies suitable areas find nest independent colony foundation carried queens try return home nest flight end nest near nest originally came multiple queen societies egg laying queens generally unrelated study showed possible multiple queens colony genetically related depending species number individuals present colony range individuals colony workers considered mature colony colonies ants nearly colony number years foraging behavior smaller workers usually leave nest sign colony impending demise workers known produce eggs eggs hatch male ants chance workers attacking particular individual successfully produced male offspring change workers believed play vital role regulation reproduction case genera possess workers female worker able reproduce mature males colony lacking queen workers highly fertile successfully mate males colony queen collected kept captivity time produced viable workers years showed workers colony males produced female workers queens bigger workers workers present workers based individuals showing structurally similar found queens sperm queen replaced unknown vision ants poor ants excellent vision trait important primarily relies visual cues navigation ants capable distance size objects moving nearly metre away winged active day better members colony different eye structures individual fulfilling different tasks nocturnal species larger comparison active day lenses vary size example species smaller lens comparison larger lenses ants light meaning capable seeing colours humans vision said better mammals cats dogs despite excellent vision worker ants genus find difficult find nests night difficulty finding landmarks use navigate likely return nests following morning walking slowly long sting workers queens possess sting fatal sensitive human beings sting described sharp pain burning pain minutes sting pain scale scale compares overall pain point scale ranked pain described painful sharply seriously painful unlike sting lacks left area allowing ants sting repeatedly harm retractable sting located abdomen attached single venom connected venom sac venom accumulated known species produce venom compounds later victims examined workers larger species long potent measuring millimetres interaction humans best known genera ants ants usually display defensive behavior nests foraging species extremely aggressive workers retreat nest instead pursuing nest disturbed large force workers rapidly nest attack kill species particularly species groups capable jumping inches agitated nest disturbed ants propel jumps sudden extension middle hind legs considered dangerous world species genus considered vulnerable iucn conservation status needs fatalities associated known attested multiple sources adults infant girl new_south_wales died possibly fatality reported tasmania recorded deaths tasmania new_south_wales deaths remaining died sting half victims known sting victims carrying adrenaline victims died minutes victims died minutes sting death officially recorded responsible death man prior establishment program caused fatality years venom species different venom components people ants advised stay away especially species encountered based species median lethal dose making toxic insect world venom evolved intense predation animals birds day primarily tasmania human population venom comparison people venom western venom european wasp australian venom study objective determine native australian ants associated sting shown participants taking study reacted sting species majority patients reacted venom species perth responsible cases responsible cases green head species cause patients dogs risk death ants failure recorded dogs experiencing mass dog deteriorating health despite treatment sensitivity persistent years identified major venom minor sting treatment nature treatment sting depends severity reaction signs reaction ice pack commercially available spray relieve pain washing area use methods reduce pain indigenous australians use bush treat tips area treat areas area quickly pain sting emergency treatment needed person showing signs severe reaction prior calling help suggested person laid legs elevated given people risk use case experiences shock adrenaline required suffer cardiac arrest require called offered susceptible program shown effectiveness preventing venom program poorly funded known hospitals run programs patients given injection venom skin dose small gradually increases sort designed change immune system increased venom entering body venom body extract widely apparent effectiveness fatal failures reported led scientists research alternative methods reactions recorded study sting venom body extracts later patients 1990s found ineffective subsequently withdrawn venom shown safe effective venom prevention ants frequently encountered humans avoiding difficult wearing closed boots shoes reduce risk getting ants capable fabric risk cases occur unaware ants presence eliminating nearby nests moving areas low populations significantly decrease chances getting human culture large ants surgical close wounds featured postage stamp coin things sting issue emblem famously appears philosopher major work example strife constant destruction endemic live bulldog australia extraordinary example kind cut battle begins head tail head tail teeth tail defends head battle half hour die dragged away ants contest takes place time experiment tried notable australian poet wrote poem based description music piece written german composer named
Myrmecia (ant)