Bulldog Ants

A large group of insects, including more than 90 species of representatives. Bulldog ants (Myrmecia gulosa) are common in Australia. Of greatest interest are red, black. An insect bite causes a person to have severe, prolonged pain, a severe allergic reaction, often ending in anaphylactic shock. According to some reports, in Australia more people die from the bites of bulldog ants than from spiders, snakes, sharks.

Appearance Features

Are the largest ants on the globe. The length of the body is 4 cm. The uterus is most 0.5 cm wide, which indicates an incomplete stage of evolution. In one nest there can be several females and males ready to take the place of the uterus after her death.

A distinctive feature is the large, long, serrated jaws protruding forward. In appearance, ants resemble wasps devoid of wings. In the photo you can see a representative of the genus. The red ant bulldog differs from the black one in its bright red body color. By its appearance, the insect warns of mortal danger.

Interesting!

Thanks to the developed limbs, the bulldog ants jump perfectly. One jump reaches a length of 50 cm. They also overcome the water space with a width of 15 cm.

Home

The black ant bulldog, like the red one, digs the earth well, builds anthill deep underground. But the house is distinguished by a primitive structure, much inferior to the architecture of the brothers. The colony is not numerous, rarely reaches several thousand individuals. Whereas others species of ants the anthill family has millions of individuals.

Ants living in the arid climate of Austria need moisture in order for larvae to be born. For this reason, insects build nests at a depth of several meters.

Nutrition

Voracious larvae are fed with other insects, since protein is needed for full growth. Adults feed on plant juices, fruits, carrion. Bulldog ants without a doubt engage in a battle with large insects - wasps, spiders, and often win.

Insects are not able to transfer to each other the remnants of undigested food, instead they lay the so-called protein eggs, which save from hunger in difficult times.

Interesting!

Among the ants bulldogs developed parasitism. Uterus sneaks into the anthill of other species, kills the true queen, takes her place. Worker ants of another species serve the killer until they are completely replaced by the larvae of enemies.

Breeding

The uterus gives life to a new family, lays the foundation of an anthill. Mating occurs once, after which the female lays eggs throughout her life, forms a colony of working individuals.

Interesting!

Unlike other species, bulldog ants have the ability to mating many females living in the same dwelling have. They reproduce ants, increasing the number of colonies, but do not claim to be the queen. In nature, cases of the existence of such families for several years are known.

Mating occurs on the fly in young females and males once a year. Flying ants look very intimidating. After that, the males die, the females scatter in the vicinity, deepen underground, lay eggs.Unlike other species, the uterus does not grow to gigantic sizes.

Larvae are born on their own, do not need the help of adults. They gnaw through the eggshell, get out without much effort.

Danger

Bulldog ants are found in the wild, are not selected for human habitation. People close to the anthill run the risk of getting numerous bites. By the power of painful sensations, they are the most tangible

The anthill is always guarded by several adults. At the sight of danger they signal the rest. In a matter of seconds, a large colony of insects attacks a person. When bitten, poison is injected, which causes a terrible allergic reaction with a possible fatal outcome.

Interesting!

Despite the horrific characteristics of the genus, bulldogs also become victims of the attack. They are defeated by a large army of small black ants. The family of which totals several million individuals.

Bulldog ants are one of the most dangerous creatures on the planet. In Australia, these creatures are written interesting facts about ants in local newspapers, warn of danger, provide statistics. The genus of bulldogs is the subject of constant study. A few years ago, another 4 were added to 90 previously studied species.