Myrmecia sp. (genus)
Bull ant or Jack Jumper at Undefined Area
Identify this sighting
| Myrmecia sp. (genus) | JonLewis | 25 Jan 2021 | |
| Unverified | CathB | 23 Jan 2021 |
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User's notes
I initially thought this was a wasp, but I think the node on the petiole makes it an ant.
1 comment
25 Jan 2021
Hi Cath, this is a male Myrmecia out looking for a mate. You can tell it is a male by the small head and rudimentary mandibles - he will die in a day or two, so doesn't need much in that department. In comparison, the queens have fully developed heads and mandibles as they live for years. By the black body and red legs it is likely to be Myrmecia fulvipes but I can't be sure. You're right about the petiolar node that sets it apart from the wasps, but as ants are derived from ancient wasps and Myrmecia is a fairly "primitive" ant, it can still give a pretty good impression of a wasp, especially the sting! Cheers, Jon
Location information
- Coordinates 149.077210-35.267038
- Altitude 620.0m
- Maps Aranda Bushland
- Places Holt, ACT
Sighting information
- 1 Abundance
- 23 Jan 2021 08:31 AM Recorded on
- CathB Recorded by
- Grass Associated plant
- 5mm to 12mm Animal size
Collections
- CathB Canberra & Southern Tablelands NatureMapr Myrmecia sp. (genus) Ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) Insects
Species information
- Myrmecia sp. (genus) Scientific name
- Bull ant or Jack Jumper Common name
- Not Sensitive
- Local native
- Non-invasive or negligible
- Up to 1398.1m Recorded at altitude
- External link More information
Record quality
Quality score
6 / 7
- Images or audio
- More than one media file
- Verified by an expert moderator
- GPS evidence of location
- Description
- Additional attributes
- Nearby sighting(s) of same species