Green-head ant
| Rhytidoponera metallica | |
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| Many forms of Green-head ants have a distinctive metallic green exterior. | |
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| Species: | R. metallica
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| Binomial name | |
| Rhytidoponera metallica (Smith, 1858)
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The green-head ant, Rhytidoponera metallica, often simply referred to as the green ant, or sometimes the green-headed ant or the metallic pony ant, is a metallic-green coloured ant, generally 5–7 millimetres (0.20–0.28 in) in length,[2] that can be found throughout Australia, particularly in urban and suburban areas. It is often confused - verbally, not visually - with the weaver ant of northern Queensland, Australia, where it is also referred to as the green ant.
Green-head queens are semi-claustral, and forage for food themselves during the early stages of a colony. Queens are difficult to distinguish from workers, they generally have the same build, but are slightly larger with a more pronounced thorax and gaster. Workers forage alone and are omnivorous, however a majority of their diet consists of other insects. Colonies can range from small colonies, to large ones that can be around a metre deep into the ground and contain around a hundred workers.
Human interaction
The green-head ant is an infamous nuisance for suburban and urban dwellers in Australia. The ants generally build their nests underground beneath most types of grasses and often go unnoticed until someone, or sometimes some animal, is bitten. The actual ant's bite itself is often unnoticeable, however the venom that the ant injects via a sting, in its abdomen, initiates a sharp burning sensation beginning seconds after the sting and lasting up until any time from five minutes to as long as two hours or, with some subspecies, up to a day. The venom is generally harmless but if a large number of stings are received at once the overwhelming amount of venom injected into the body can sometimes render a small child physically ill for a few hours.
References
- ^ "Species Rhytidoponera metallica (Smith, 1858)". Australian Faunal Directory. Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. 21 November 2008. Retrieved 17 April 2010.
- ^ "Green-head Ant". Australian Museum. Retrieved 17 April 2010.
External links
Media related to Rhytidoponera metallica at Wikimedia Commons
