The blue ant (''Diamma bicolor''), also known as the blue-ant or bluebottle, despite its name and appearance, is not an
ant, but rather a species of large, solitary,
parasitic wasp sometimes known as a
flower wasp
The Tiphiidae (also known as the tiphiid wasps) are a family of large, solitary wasps whose larvae are parasitoids of various beetle larvae, especially those in the superfamily Scarabaeoidea. Until recently, this family contained several addit ...
. It is native to south and southeast Australia, including the states of
Tasmania,
New South Wales,
Victoria, and
South Australia. It is the sole member of the subfamily Diamminae and the genus ''Diamma'', and is both morphologically and behaviorally unusual among members of the family
Tiphiidae.
Blue ants have a distinctive metallic blue-green body, with red legs. The female ranges up to in length, is wingless and ground-dwelling, and exclusively hunts
mole crickets, whereas all other species of tiphiids attack
beetle larvae. The cricket is paralysed with
venom injected by the female's
stinger and an egg is laid upon it so the wasp larva has a ready supply of food. The male is smaller, about , and has
wings. Adults feed on
nectar
Nectar is a sugar-rich liquid produced by plants in glands called nectaries or nectarines, either within the flowers with which it attracts pollinating animals, or by extrafloral nectaries, which provide a nutrient source to animal mutualists ...
and
pollinate various native Australian flowers.
The sting of the blue ant can cause a severe burning sensation and swelling in humans; in rare cases, it can cause a life-threatening reaction (such as
anaphylaxis).
External links
Blue-ant Fact File(from the
Australian Museum)
Flower wasps(from the
Australian Museum)
Common names (and image)(from
CSIRO
The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) is an Australian Government
The Australian Government, also known as the Commonwealth Government, is the national government of Australia, a federal parliamentar ...
Entomology
Entomology () is the science, scientific study of insects, a branch of zoology. In the past the term "insect" was less specific, and historically the definition of entomology would also include the study of animals in other arthropod groups, such ...
)
{{Taxonbar, from=Q2616438
Thynnidae
Insects described in 1835
Hymenoptera of Australia