Myrmecia gulosa
1 Red bull ant at Crowther, NSW
Identify this sighting
| Myrmecia gulosa | JonLewis | 15 Jul 2025 | |
| Myrmecia fucosa | Frecko | 13 Jul 2025 |
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6 comments
21 Jul 2025
These traits do not match Myrmecia gulosa (which has black mandibles and a larger size) or Myrmecia pyriformis (which is more uniformly reddish-brown). Instead, this ant is more consistent with:
Myrmecia fucosa
Size: Medium (~20–25 mm)
Coloration: Reddish-brown body with darker abdomen
Mandibles: Often pale or light brown, not black
Distribution: While more common in Victoria and SA, it may occur in southern NSW
Also M. fucosa is less aggressive so the fact that you got a ruler next to it long enough to take the photo makes this more likely (despite the range extension)
Myrmecia fucosa
Size: Medium (~20–25 mm)
Coloration: Reddish-brown body with darker abdomen
Mandibles: Often pale or light brown, not black
Distribution: While more common in Victoria and SA, it may occur in southern NSW
Also M. fucosa is less aggressive so the fact that you got a ruler next to it long enough to take the photo makes this more likely (despite the range extension)
21 Jul 2025
Hi @ChrisBAllen , thanks for the response. @SimonDunstan and @NateKingsford , could you review my ID of this sighting please? Cheers, Jon
21 Jul 2025
Hey @ChrisBAllen , I agree with @JonLewis on this one, it's very well known and recorded that Myrmecia gulosa can display light orange colouration, including that of the mandibles. M. fucosa lacks the tiny bit of black on the tip of the mandibles and has a uniformly coloured abdomen. The morphology is consistent in what you'd expect from M. gulosa. Colour alone can't always be a determining factor in invertebrates
22 Jul 2025
Hey @NateKingsford, thanks for that bit of detail about the mandibles, and the abdomen did bother me. It must just be a small specimen (and cold so less aggressive 😊). Cheers
22 Jul 2025
Hey @ChrisBAllen The size could be due to the ant being a nanitic or the colony not finding enough food. I've been able to get up very close for macro photography of many Myrmecia thanks to cold weather, sometimes you'll find the ants sitting motionless if it's super cold.
I appreciate your comments as it allows for criticism of ID's and further improves the knowledge for said animal. Stay curious
I appreciate your comments as it allows for criticism of ID's and further improves the knowledge for said animal. Stay curious
25 Jul 2025
Hello!
M.gulosa would be my ID also, best picture to go off of is the last one.
M.fucosa also have are closer to the jumping jack side of species selection but also have a very distinct pale mandibles where the colouration flows onto the lower facial features(clypeus) where it turns to a more brown colour for the rest of the head.(wish it was one as they are pretty girls).
Location automatically would rule out them also :)
Colouration is great for narrowing down species, then location, but its looking for the nuance of teeth distribution, slight colouring of their feet, mandibles and gaster that will bring closest ID.
Sisters from the same nest will vary in size depending on the food available at the time of larval growth and the position in the colony they may have been selected to be in(nanitics/nanny ants are tiny compared to the largest specimens in the same nest).
Myrmecia sp are mostly defensive in nature and will only act so if they are either at their nest or are startled but otherwise scavenging workers are rather placid and doubly so when its cold, most species of ants don't like to come out when surface temps are below 10 degrees.
M.gulosa would be my ID also, best picture to go off of is the last one.
M.fucosa also have are closer to the jumping jack side of species selection but also have a very distinct pale mandibles where the colouration flows onto the lower facial features(clypeus) where it turns to a more brown colour for the rest of the head.(wish it was one as they are pretty girls).
Location automatically would rule out them also :)
Colouration is great for narrowing down species, then location, but its looking for the nuance of teeth distribution, slight colouring of their feet, mandibles and gaster that will bring closest ID.
Sisters from the same nest will vary in size depending on the food available at the time of larval growth and the position in the colony they may have been selected to be in(nanitics/nanny ants are tiny compared to the largest specimens in the same nest).
Myrmecia sp are mostly defensive in nature and will only act so if they are either at their nest or are startled but otherwise scavenging workers are rather placid and doubly so when its cold, most species of ants don't like to come out when surface temps are below 10 degrees.
Location information
- Coordinates 148.568366-34.105973
- Altitude 670.3m
- Places Crowther, NSW
Sighting information
- 2 Abundance
- 13 Jul 2025 11:08 AM Recorded on
- Frecko Recorded by
- 25mm to 50mm Animal size
Collections
- Frecko NatureMapr Canberra & Southern Tablelands Ants (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) Insects Myrmecia gulosa
Species information
- Myrmecia gulosa Scientific name
- Red bull ant Common name
- Not Sensitive
- Local native
- Non-invasive or negligible
- Up to 844m Recorded at altitude
- External link More information
Record quality
Quality score
4 / 7
- Images or audio
- More than one media file
- Verified by an expert moderator
- Additional attributes
- Nearby sighting(s) of same species
- GPS evidence of location
- Description