Getting to know ants
Ants are the quiet but mighty workers of nature. They can move seeds to help plants grow, pollinate plants, break down organic materials and help build and aerate soil.
Masters of social relationships, most ants live in groups with a queen, female workers and brood (eggs, larvae, pupae). Fascinatingly, some ants ‘farm’ aphids, protecting them and collecting the sugary honeydew they produce. Only humans and ants are known to ‘farm’ other animals!
Many ants prefer to live in the ground, like the widespread green-head ant (Rhytidoponera metallica). Others like the green tree ants (Oecophylla smaragdina) common in northern Australia, live in trees and weave their nests from leaves and silk produced by the ant larvae. More than 1,200 species of ants have been scientifically described in Australia, with many more still to be described.
Some invasive ants like red imported fire ants (Solenopsis invicta), Argentine ants (Linepithema humile) and electric ants (Wasmannia auropunctata) could keep spreading across Australia, affecting native wildlife, our way of life and costing our economy. On Christmas Island, invasive yellow crazy ants (Anoplolepis gracilipes) have killed millions of the famous red land crabs and robber crabs, both of which play an important role in the island’s forest ecology.
Help us learn more about potentially threatened ants
The Dinosaur Ant (Nothomyrmecia macrops) is considered a ‘living fossil. It’s one of the closest living examples to what early ants would have been like in the times of the dinosaurs around 100 million years ago. Nectar is a big part of its diet, and it’s known to live only in a small number of bushland areas in South Australia.
The threatened ants Strumigenys xenos and Myrmecia inquilina are unusual in that they have no worker ants. These ants are parasitic, with the queens living in the nests of other species of ants.
Ant Gallery
Green Tree Ant
Oecophylla smaragdina
Meat Ant
Iridomyrmex purpureus
Yellow Crazy Ant
Anoplolepis gracilipes
Join the Bug Hunt for ants
By taking photos of ants and uploading them into iNaturalist, you can help grow our knowledge about where they live and what habitat they like. You might even help discover a new species of ant, or help spark action on an invasive species.
In iNaturalist, go to projects, search for ‘Bug Hunt Australia’ and join.
Tips for spotting and photographing ants
When taking photos for iNaturalist, remember:
- Have your GPS location turned on.
- Take lots of photos and zoom in. Be aware some ants can bite and sting and may cause allergic reactions.
- Avoid disturbing them though – just photograph them as you find them.
- Upload your shots photos directly through the iNaturalist app, or through your computer at www.inaturalist.org. The app AI may suggest a specific species, but if you’re not confident on the species identification (some species can look quite similar), just select the level of identification you are most comfortable with – it could be ‘ant’ or even just ‘ínsect’ if you’re not sure. Experts in the iNaturalist community can then suggest a more specific identification for you.
- Adding a photo or some notes about the type of environment nearby can help build knowledge about what kind of habitat the ant likes.
Backyard ants
The Banded Sugar Ant (Camponotus consobrinus) is common across much of eastern and southern Australia.
To find out what ants are being observed near you, go to www.inaturalist.org/observations and search for ‘ants’ in your location.