Papyrius sp. (genus)
A Coconut Ant at Red Hill, ACT
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| Papyrius sp. (genus) | JonLewis | 21 Jan 2024 | |
| Papyrius sp. (genus) | LisaH | 21 Jan 2024 |
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User's notes
Some were carrying the white whatever-it-is down the trunk and through the casing, while one ant carried the . . . (are they larvae?) up the trunk. Unfortunately, I also saw a small black wasp enter the cavity near the ground/base of the tree. I am unsure whether the fifth photo is an unrelated moth/butterfly cocoon? It was situated in an alcove at the base of the tree where the ants were busy entering and leaving
2 comments
21 Jan 2024
Thanks for the pics Lisa. The things going down look to be worker larvae and the ones going up look like very advanced queen larvae, nearly pupae (they don’t have pupal cases, unlike a lot of other ants). They move brood around a lot, giving them more or less warmth or space depending on how quickly they want the brood to mature. The wasp could certainly be parasitic but not sure about the cocoon. Cheers, Jon
22 Jan 2024
Thank you so much for interpreting the photos, and sharing your knowledge - fascinating! The things you learn when you stop and look for a little while . . .
Location information
- Places Red Hill, ACT
Sighting information
- 101 - 1,000 Abundance
- LisaH Recorded by
- 5mm to 12mm Animal size
- Alive / healthy Animal health
Collections
- LisaH Canberra & Southern Tablelands NatureMapr Papyrius sp. (genus) Ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) Insects
Species information
- Papyrius sp. (genus) Scientific name
- A Coconut Ant Common name
- Sensitive
- Local native
- Non-invasive or negligible
- Up to 1006.19m Recorded at altitude
- External link More information
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Synonyms
Papyrius sp.
Record quality
Quality score
6 / 7
- Images or audio
- More than one media file
- Verified by an expert moderator
- Nearby sighting(s) of same species
- Description
- Additional attributes
- GPS evidence of location