Meat Ant
White Footed Ants are more a nuisance than apest | How to eradicate White Footed Ants?
Classification
Species category: Ant Scientific name: Iridomyrmex purpureus
Description
The Meat Ant which is also commonly known as theGravel Ant is a large ant species which reaches13-14mm in length. It has large mandibles. Typicallyred and Black in colour, its compound eyes are locatedhigh on the head away from the mandibles and theyhave a single prominent node on their pedicel.They are distributed widely throughout Australia. Underground nest dwellers, this ant species has been known to create ‘super-colonies’ whichoccur when a queen and a number of its nest sharing ants, leave the original nest and start a newcolony in close proximity, this process is called budding. The ‘super-colony’ can have an extraordinarily large population that reaches tens of thousands ofants. Each nest in the ‘super-colony is linked through a series of trails and pathways.
Behavior
Typically omnivores, they can eat proteins and will occasionally eat sugars from natural sources.They are excellent scavengers and unlike other ant species will actively forage during the day.Usually, they can be found close to or connected to, an easily recognisable nest thanks to thepresence of stones or gravel used to cover up the opening of the nest. They can be aggressiveand will go to great lengths to protect the nest from intruders. Yet, they do not have a sting andinstead attack with their strong mandibles. They have also been known to start wars withneighbouring ant colonies.
Risks
More of a nuisance than a pest, they can create large colonies in the soil which can displace turfand destabilize paving