Blue Ant
Life on land
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“We have always loved insects and arachnids and at our conservation property in Victoria we tried to make the place as wildlife friendly as we could, sometimes to the surprise of our many colleagues and guests from around the world as a scorpion or large spider scurried across the floor”.
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The Blue Ant, Diamma bicolor, is a solitary parasitoid wasp endemic to south eastern Australia. The Blue Ant displays the intriguing biology and ecological significance of its flower wasp family (Tiphiidae), including the wasp’s role in pollination as it feeds on nectar. The thorax and abdomen of the Blue Ant are metallic blue, while the antennae and legs are reddish orange in colour. Females are wingless and resembles a large ant, solitary in their hunt for Mole Crickets which are the food source for Blue Ant larvae. (Mole Crickets are nocturnal burrowing insects related to locusts, grasshoppers and other crickets).
Sexual Dimorphism
Females are larger (up to 25 mm), strongly built, wingless, and resemble large ants.
Males are smaller (12-15 mm), slender, and possess clear wings but are rarely seen. Males are less robust and spend less time on the ground compared to females.
Life Cycle and Behaviour
Reproduction: After mating, the female Blue Ant searches for Mole Crickets which are stung and hence paralysed, once the egg is laid, the host is buried. As it develops, the Blue Ant larva consumes the paralysed cricket.
Development: The larva pupates within the burrow, emerging as an adult in late spring to summer. Adults are mostly seen from late spring to early autumn.
Diet: Adults feed on nectar from various flowers while larvae are parasitoids.
Distribution
Endemic to south eastern Australia, found primarily in:
- New South Wales
- Victoria
- South Australia
- Tasmania
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