FormicidaeFormicidae Index Ants More Ants in Australia Caste Systems, Colonies and Anthills Invasive Ants in Australia Camponotus Ants Camponotus aurocinctus Camponotus consobrinus (Banded Sugar Ant) Camponotus inflatus (Honey Ant) Camponotus innexus (Antarctic Sugar Ant) Chelaner kiliani (Mono Ant) Dolichoderus doriae (Dolly Ant) Dolichoderus scabridus Leptomyrmex erythrocephalus (Red-headed Spider Ant) Melophorus bagoti Myrmecia brevinoda (Nocturnal Bull Ant) Myrmecia gulosa (Red Bull Ant) Myrmecia impaternata Myrmecia mandibularis Myrmecia nigrocincta (Jumping Jack Ant) Myrmecia pilosula (Jack Jumper Ant) Myrmecia pyriformis (Inch Ant) Myrmecia rubripes (Bullant) Myrmecia tarsata (Australian Jumper Ant) Notoncus gilberti Notoncus spinisquamis Odontomachus sp (Trap-jaw Ant) Oecophylla smaragdina (Green Tree Ant) Polyrhachis Rhytidoponera aspera Rhytidoponera metallica (Green-head Ant)

One of the largest ant species, Myrmecia gulosa is known as the Red Bull Ant, Giant Red Bull Ant, Giant Bull Ant, Bull Dog Ant and Hoppy Joe. Adult members have been observed to be between 15 mm to 30 mm in body length.

They have long, straight and powerful jaws and a potent sting. They have a reddish-brown head and thorax and the back half of the abdomen is black. They also have extremely keen vision and their log jaws are brownish-yellow. Adults have long, powerful serrated mandibles and sting, the venom being capable of causing severe pain for a couple of days.

Red Bull Ant (Myrmecia gulosa), Hyams Beach NSW © Phil Warburton
Red Bull Ant (Myrmecia gulosa), Hyams Beach NSW © Phil Warburton
Red Bull Ant (Myrmecia gulosa), Hyams Beach NSW © Phil Warburton
Red Bull Ant (Myrmecia gulosa), Hyams Beach NSW © Phil Warburton
Red Bull Ant (Myrmecia gulosa), Hyams Beach NSW © Phil Warburton
Red Bull Ant (Myrmecia gulosa), Hyams Beach NSW © Phil Warburton

They can be quite common throughout eastern Australia, the coastal regions of Queensland and east of New South Wales. Observations have also been verified in South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania, Northern Territory and Western Australia.

Myrmecia gulosa (Red Bull Ant), Broulee - Mossy Point NSW © Phil Warburton
Myrmecia gulosa (Red Bull Ant), Broulee – Mossy Point NSW © Phil Warburton
Myrmecia gulosa (Red Bull Ant), Broulee - Mossy Point NSW © Phil Warburton
Myrmecia gulosa (Red Bull Ant), Broulee – Mossy Point NSW © Phil Warburton

Myrmecia gulosa are known to be solitary predators and notoriously aggressive hunters. They prefer open areas where they are frequently seen foraging. They generally construct small mounds, their nests are constructed with tunnel systems and can be quite extensive. The entry nest area is usually covered with dry plant materials and dirt, with the dirt being loosely scattered around the nest mound.

Myrmecia gulosa (Bull Dog Ant), Ballandean QLD © Marc Newman
Myrmecia gulosa (Bull Dog Ant), Ballandean QLD © Marc Newman
Myrmecia gulosa (Bull Dog Ant), Ballandean QLD © Marc Newman
Myrmecia gulosa (Bull Dog Ant), Ballandean QLD © Marc Newman

  • Scientific classification
  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Arthropoda
  • Subphylum: Hexapoda
  • Class: Insecta
  • Informal: Pterygotes
  • Order: Hymenoptera
  • Superfamily: Verspoidea
  • Family: Formicidae
  • Subfamily: Myrmeciinae
  • Tribe: Myrmeiini
  • Genus: Myrmecia
  • Species: Myrmecia gulosa

Footnote & References

  1. Photographs Myrmecia gulosa © Phil Warburton
  2. Photographs Myrmecia gulosa © Marc Newman
  3. Many thanks to Craig Matthews for ID, member of Entomology Australia “Invertebratology”, https://www.facebook.com/groups/507004496955277/
  4. Myrmecia gulosa (Fabricius, 1775), Giant Bull Ant, Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/Myrmecia%20gulosa
  5. Gulosa-group Bull Ants (Complex Myrmecia gulosa), iNaturalistAU, https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/taxa/1373605-Myrmecia-gulosa
  6. Red Bull Ant (Myrmecia gulosa), iNaturalistAU, https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/taxa/122204-Myrmecia-gulosa

FormicidaeFormicidae Index Ants More Ants in Australia Caste Systems, Colonies and Anthills Invasive Ants in Australia Camponotus Ants Camponotus aurocinctus Camponotus consobrinus (Banded Sugar Ant) Camponotus inflatus (Honey Ant) Camponotus innexus (Antarctic Sugar Ant) Chelaner kiliani (Mono Ant) Dolichoderus doriae (Dolly Ant) Dolichoderus scabridus Leptomyrmex erythrocephalus (Red-headed Spider Ant) Melophorus bagoti Myrmecia brevinoda (Nocturnal Bull Ant) Myrmecia gulosa (Red Bull Ant) Myrmecia impaternata Myrmecia mandibularis Myrmecia nigrocincta (Jumping Jack Ant) Myrmecia pilosula (Jack Jumper Ant) Myrmecia pyriformis (Inch Ant) Myrmecia rubripes (Bullant) Myrmecia tarsata (Australian Jumper Ant) Notoncus gilberti Notoncus spinisquamis Odontomachus sp (Trap-jaw Ant) Oecophylla smaragdina (Green Tree Ant) Polyrhachis Rhytidoponera aspera Rhytidoponera metallica (Green-head Ant)

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