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Hello,
can anyone here identify this species of ant found in Gippsland, Victoria, Australia?
I have attached two photos.
I have only seen individuals of these ants, never more than one at a time.
They seem highly intelligent in that they will drop to the ground and run and hide when they see you. They are also quite big 2cm length or more.
Damian.
doesnt look like an ant for me......
It is a solitary wasp with wingless females, Diamma bicolor, the so-called "Blue Ant", but not an ant at all!
The species belongs to the Hymenopteran family Tiphiidae, and there to the subfamily Diamminae which comprises but this one species.
The female hunts mole crickets. The cricket will be paralyzed by stinging, then the Diamma lays an egg on it. The larva slowly eats the paralyzed but still living mole cricket.
For humans the Diamma sting is very painfull and may be lethal for sensitive persons.
I know the species from NSW where I once have collected a specimen. Very impressive animal!
A question to Damian: May I use one of your pics for an article in our ant wikipedia?
Für deutsche Leser: Hier habe ich schon mal etwas zu Diamma geschrieben, im letzten post des threads:
http://www.antstore.net/viewtopic.php?t=4125&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=diamma&start=15
Regards,
Earlant
Very nice pictures, nice to now, looks like an interesting animal. ;)