Ants
Argentine Ant
Argentine Ant Workers are small dark brown or medium brown ants with smooth shiny bodies. The mandibles have five to eight large teeth and five to thirteen smaller serrations (denticles). The head is tear-drop shaped with widest point above the eyes. Argentine Ants are highly invasive and one of the world's worst pest ant species. They will displace most native ants from their habitat. Argentine Ants indirectly harm agricultural crops by protecting insect pests such as aphids and scale insects from predators. They protect these insects to harvest the sugary honeydew they produce.
Other Names
Iridomyrmex humilis
Size
workers are about 2mm to 3mm. Queens are about 6mm to 8mm
Habitat
Linepithema humile is found in many habitats including forests, grasslands, river catchments, shrublands, farmland, coastland, urban areas and wetlands.
Food
They feed on sweet foods such as the honeydew produced by aphids, scale insects and mealybugs.
Breeding
Colonies spread by groups of ants leaving the colony to start their own colony. A single queen and ten workers is enough to start a new colony.
Range
Native to subtropical regions of northern Argentina, the species is now cosmopolitan.
The Jack Jumper Ant back to top
The Jack Jumper Ant is a large species of Bulldog Ant. They have a jumping motion when disturbed which gives them their common name. The workers are black with yellow mandibles, antennae, and lower parts of the legs. The head is slightly broader than it is long and mandibles are slightly shorter than the head. The mandibles have four large sharp teeth with a smaller tooth in between each large one. The queen is similar in colour to the workers but is larger and more robust.
Other Names
hopper ant, jumper ant or jumping jack
Size
Length: worker 10mm - 14mm; queen 14mm - 16mm
Habitat
Jack Jumper Ant live in colonies like most ants. They build a mound nest of fine soil or gravel. The nest may also be built under a rock.
Food
Jack jumper ants are carnivores and scavengers. They feed on insects and other small invertebrates which they sting with venom. They will tackle prey as large as bees and wasps.
Range
found is south west Western Australia, southern parts of South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania, eastern New South Wales and south east Queensland
Meat Ant back to top
There are about 60 species of Iridomyrmex in Australia. They often build large nests underground with sand or gravel mounded around the entrances to the nest. Iridomyrmex species are often involved in mutually beneficial (symbiotic) relationships with caterpillars. The caterpillars provide sugary fluid for the ants in return from protection from predators. Workers have strong jaws - they do not sting but can give a painful bite.
Other Names
Gravel Ant
Size
Workers are up to 1cm long.
Habitat
Sandy or gravel soils in urban areas, forests and woodlands.
Food
Most species of Iridomyrmex are scavengers. Some species also tend aphids and collect nectar.
Breeding
They live in a nest in the soil. The nest may contain hundreds or thousands of ants (sometimes over 100,000).
Range
Iridomyrmex are found from India east to China and south to Australia and New Caledonia.
Fire Ants back to top
Fire ants are reddish brown with a darker brown abdomen. Nests usually contain a variety of sizes of ants. The ants are very aggressive around the nest and can give a painful sting which causes a burning and itching that can last up to an hour. The nest is often a dome shaped mound up to 40cm in height, and the inside of the nest has a honeycomb structure.
Size
length 2mm to 6mm
Habitat
Fire ant nests are usually found in open areas like grassland, open woodland, pasture, lawns, roadsides, farmland. The nest be in dirt mound up to 40cm in height, or under timber, logs, rocks, pavers or bricks. Fire can survive in most habitats except swamp and dense forest.
Food
Fire ants are omnivorous and will eat plant material, insects, small animals and carrion.
Breeding
Fire ant nests can have a single queen or several queens. To start a colony, a queen will lay up to 20 eggs which hatch after 7 to 10 days. The larvae grow and pupate, developing into adults after a further 9 to 5 days. As the colony establishes, the queens can increase egg laying up to 800 eggs per day. Fire ants go through four larval stages, or instars before pupating and emerging as adults.
Range
The Fire Ant is a small colonial ant native to South America. Fire ants were discovered in Brisbane, Queensland in 2001, although the infestation may have arrived several years before. Two main infestations of fire ant nests have been found in Queensland, one in the south western suburbs of Brisbane and one near the mouth of the Brisbane River.
Coastal Brown Ant back to top
Colour varies from light yellowish brown to brown. Large head in comparison to body size (soldier). Thorax has one pair of spines. Abdominal pedicel has 2 raised nodes. Soldier has enlarged darkened head. Chewing mouthparts. Larvae (The young) Whitish grub, narrower toward the head
Size
1.5-2.5mm long.
Life Cycle
Complete metamorphosis (egg – larva – pupa – adult). Eggs are small and ovoid in shape. Larvae are fed by the adults. After several moults the larvae pupate.
There are 3 different castes of adults:
Male: Winged. Function is to mate with female.
Female: Winged until after mating. Largest in body size. This caste becomes the reproductive queen of the colony. Can live many years.
Worker: Wingless, sterile. Act as nest-builders, foragers for food, feeding larvae, looking after eggs and defence of nest. Soldiers come from this caste. Normally live about 1 year.
Habitat
Nests mainly in soil and builds along pathways, in gardens, against walls, under houses and if in large enough numbers can cause damage to lawns. They prefer sunny, dry areas to nest but will nest above ground if soil is available. Can be found nesting in termite tracks. Have been known to invade external electrical appliances such as hot water systems.
Food
Preference is for fatty foods but will attack seeds, meats, insects, fruit, honeydew from aphids, sweet foods, fats and grease. Adults cannot ingest solid food particles but ingest liquids which are pressed out of food material. Larvae depend entirely on workers for food. Young larvae are fed in liquids, the older larvae are fed on small food particles which they can ingest. Adults will also feed on excretions from larvae.
Breeding
Small mounds from excavations near paths etc. can be considered unsightly. Trailing of ants can also be considered unsightly. Swarming can occur within a premises which can cause distress to the occupants. Invasion of kitchen areas and wet areas can also be a nuisance to occupants. Plants and seedlings can be damaged if infestation is bad. External electrical appliances such as hot water systems can be damaged and present a fire hazard because of short-circuits from high moisture levels. Can be vectors of disease organisms such as dysentery, smallpox and bacteria such as Salmonella.
Bulldog Ant back to top
The Bulldog Ant worker has dark reddish brown head, thorax and first part of abdomen.. The gaster (the bulbous part of the abdomen) is black with a metallic green or blue sheen. It has short yellow hairs on the head and thorax, with longer hairs on the abdomen. the head is as long as it is broad and mandibles are slightly shorter than the head. The mandibles have twelve or thirteen teeth with the third, fifth, seventh, and tenth teeth larger and broader than the others. The queen is similar to the worker, but larger with more robust build. Males are similar to workers but have black head and first part of thorax.
Size
Lengthy: worker 15mm - 21mm; queen 19mm - 23mm.
Food
The Bulldog Ant is a carnivore and also scavenges. They feed on invertebrates or other small animals that they sting with venom. They are one of the most venomous ants in the world.
Breeding
Like most ants, Bulldog Ants live in colonies. Nests may be under a rock or in the ground.
Range
found in south east Queensland, eastern New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, and south eastern South Australia.
Black Ant back to top
Black Ants are small and black (no surprises there). The males have wings. Females have wings until after mating, when she becomes the reproductive queen ant. Worker ants are sterile and their role is to maintain the nest, gather food and feed the larvae. Soldiers are a also from the worker caste. Black Ants can be a pest around homes, especially when they get into the kitchen. They make long trails from the nest to food sources and can come in to the house under doors, or through cracks round windows. When they are nesting in the house they can sometimes be detected by the mess of black droppings on floors or window sills.
Size
2.5mm - 3mm
Habitat
Common around homes where it can nest around against paths, stone work, cracks and crevices. It can also nest indoors between walls.
Food
Black Ants eat mostly sweet foods but also eat seeds and plants.
Breeding
The queen Black Ant lays small oval eggs. The larvae are fed by the adults when they hatch, and after several moults the larvae pupate.