[57][119] In some cases, enormous colonies can have as many as a million ants.

For example, the galleries of excavated colonies occupy 420 cubic centimetres (26 cu in) whereas the total volume is around 5,000 cubic centimetres (310 cu in). [59], The difficulty of eradicating meat ants has led to further studies. [3] Four species were placed in different genera while 25 species and subspecies were classified as synonyms. [33] Alternative names include the gravel ant,[34] Greenslade's meat ant,[35] meat-eater ant, mound ant,[36] or southern meat ant. [90] However, these ants are normally consumed either in low numbers or avoided entirely. [9], Meat ants from the Western Australian wheatbelt and goldfields show different iridescence; the iridescence in some collected specimens ranged from pale greenish-blue to yellowish-green, especially around the humeri (a structure which forms the basal corner of an insect's wing or wing case) and frons. Meat ants inhabit open and warm areas in large, oval-shaped mounds that are accompanied by many entrance holes. [51] [53] Brood discrimination is known based on recognition of kin, and queens will look after their own brood and neglect other brood laid by different queens. The genus Iridomyrmex inhabits rural, arid, and semi-arid areas. While the two names were described in the same year and publication, the name I. purpureus is the valid name for the species in accordance with the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature. However, the fossil species that have been found are from the Eocene and Oligocene. Hymenoptera, Vol. [67] Particular species have adapted rather well to urbanisation; during the early days in Canberra, newly constructed suburbs provided new nest sites for meat ants, and populations flourished. Most of the time, a single queen will start her own colony and lay eggs that will take around 44 to 61 days to fully develop and emerge as adults,[114][115] but colonies can also be founded through multiple queens cooperating with each other, adoption into an existing colony, or "budding" (also called "satelliting" or "fractionating"), where a subset of the colony including queens, workers and brood (eggs, larvae and pupae) leave the main colony for an alternative nest site. [12] Worker castes are rarely polymorphic. Post: # 74398Post harv. [139] One way of doing this is by establishing meat ant nests in habitats where cane toad numbers are high. [57] I. bicknelli is an effective pollinator of Microtis parviflora,[59] and one study suggests the pollen is not harmed by contact of these ants. However, there is no known physical connection. However, the survivability of the toadlets may be affected if the ants prevent the toadlets from foraging into many areas of moist substrate. Predators such as spiders, birds, lizards, and other ants prey on Iridomyrmex ants. [21], In 1974, I. sanguineus and I. viridiaeneus were classified as two subspecies of the meat ant by P.J. In the Northern Territory, specimens have been collected in the north and south regions but compared to other jurisdictions the ant is uncommon. [56], At any size, a meat ant nest always has a possibility of dying out in any year, but the site may be reoccupied by another colony.

Meat ants engage in ritualised fights to maintain and resolve boundary disputes with neighbouring colonies. According to one source, 350 Australian Iridomyrmex species may be present.[9]. The mesonotum is sinuous (meaning it has many curves), and, like the pronotum, has 12 or more mesonotal setae. [141][142] Although meat ants enter houses occasionally, they have adapted well to urbanisation and populations can flourish in urban areas. [53][55] Polydomy within a colony is typically favoured as it improves access to forage, as workers deliver most of their food to the nest that is closest to any site they forage in. Instead, they were only recognised by their colour and the genitalia of the males.
The genus Froggattella is the sister group of Iridomyrmex, both of which are in a clade that is 23 million years old. Unpaved streets, gravel paths and driveways are among the many new sites meat ants could nest in, making them a commonly encountered ant that may pose as a considerable pest to many. There are 79 described species and five fossil species. [62] Members of an affected meat ant colony later move to a nearby satellite nest that is placed in a suitable area, while invading banded sugar ants fill nest galleries up with a black resinous material. [86] It is unknown if meat ant predation on the toadlets affected the population, but based on the population density of the toadlets within the studied site and the foraging time and efficiency, approximately 2,700 toadlets could be removed per day. Greenslade. However, as there were no clear morphological differences among these variations, the taxonomic status and evolutionary relationship of these ants remained uncertain. [27] Although these forms most likely represented undescribed, yet distinct species, the I. purpureus species group only contained a single valid species, three subspecies and seven different forms. [3] The alates begin to emerge from their nest and immediately climb onto tall structures (such as tree trunks, fence-posts, or long flora) where they begin to fly and copulate. Opisthopsis queen ant and colonies. [113] Nuptial flight occurs after rain, where the males emerge from their nest first, followed by the virgin queens; groups of 20 to 40 females emerge after the males have flown away. [52] Queens display intolerance to each other when the first generation of workers is present, and the queens will separate from each other once the colony grows to a certain size. In Queensland, they are frequently encountered in the eastern regions, whereas their abundance is limited around the north and central parts. [130] An example is that background odours in a particular environment may impair ants from identifying their own nestmates, and may need to make more attempts to determine an ant's identity. Males are bright violet, and the antennae (except for the first joint) and tarsi are ferruginous. [63] During the day, the bulk of the workers attend and feed on honeydew secreted by insects that live on the leaves of Eucalyptus trees. In 2011, the genus was revised again, and 79 species and five extinct species were now present, 31 of which were newly described.


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