General Description

Female: no wings, spiny legs, shiny and blue with orange-red antennae and legs. Male: wings, black with white spots. Body up to 3 cm long.

Biology

Despite their name and the ant-like appearance of the females, Blue Ants are actually wasps. Female Blue Ants live on the ground, running around with jerky movements and a raised abdomen, searching for young mole crickets in soil to paralyse and lay an egg on. The larva hatches from the egg and feeds on the live cricket. Females have a painful sting. Males visit flowers to feed on nectar.

Distribution

South-eastern mainland Australia and Tasmania.

Habitat

Grasslands, pastures and urban areas.

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