Workers are large, usually around 15–25 mm.
Fine-art photographic collection
Myrmecia gulosa
A red bull ant that helped define the genus Myrmecia for science.
About this species
Giant bull ant
Myrmecia gulosa(Fabricius, 1775)
Information reviewed15 July 2026
Myrmecia gulosa is a large red bull ant of eastern Australia. It is a solitary visual hunter and belongs to one of the earliest ant species described from the continent.
Taxonomy
Animalia · Arthropoda · Insecta · Hymenoptera · Formicidae · Myrmecia
Source checked · checked 2026-07-15
Eastern AustraliaBroad documented localities — not a complete range map.
Eastern and south-eastern Australia.
Woodland, open forest, heath and suburban bushland.
Diurnal in suitable weather, with workers navigating by vision.
Arthropod prey, nectar and sugary plant or insect secretions.
Ground colonies contain relatively few large workers compared with many formicine ants.
What makes this species remarkable?
The species was among the first Australian ants formally described by European science.
Workers can track moving objects with large compound eyes.
Mandibles seize prey while the sting delivers venom.
Sources and scientific references
More photographs
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