Bull ant is an ant of Australia known for its aggressive behavior. It is also called the bulldog ant. There are several species (kinds) of bull ants in Australia. Most bull ants are large and can grow up to 1.7 inches (4 centimeters) long. They have long, toothed mandibles (jaws) and big eyes. Bull ants are fearless and will attack humans on occasion. They can inflict painful bites and stings.
Bull ants make their nests in the ground, often at the base of a tree or stump. They live in small colonies. Only a few hundred ants live in each nest. Unlike many ants, bull ants rely on vision rather than smell. The worker ants eat almost anything, including such items as fruits and seeds and even other insects. The workers feed the larvae (young) animal remains, often the remains of other insects.
Scientists consider bull ants to be among the most primitive ants. Bull ants do not have social structures as complex as those of more advanced ant species. In bull ants, unlike more advanced ants, the queen and workers look similar to each other. Among most other ants, the queens are the only individuals that can mate with a male and lay eggs. The workers are sterile (unable to produce offspring). In bull ants, however, the workers are not sterile. When the queen dies, one of the workers can mate with a male and become the new queen.
