Blue Ant
Despite of its name and appearance, a blue ant is not an ant but a species of parasitic wasp, sometimes known as flower wasp from the Tiphiidae family. They are native to Southern Australia including Tasmania, New South Wales, Victoria and Australian Capital Territory. Their scientific name is Diamma bicolor.
Their main habitats are forests, woodlands and also in urban areas. They are found across Australia but are more concentrated in southern parts of the continent.
A blue ant has a metallic blue green body with red legs. The female can grow up to 1 inch; they are ground-dweller, have no wings and their main task is to hunt for tunneling mole crickets. Once she finds one, their prey (cricket) is stung by the female and paralyzed by injecting venom. Then they lay an egg upon it so that the larvae have ready supply of food once hatched. Although they are wasps, they closely resemble ants, hence named blue ants.
The male blue ant is smaller in size, around 0.5 inch, have wings. Adults of both sexes are often found on flowers, feeding on nectar and pollinating native Australian flowers. Their movements are restless, jerky with raised abdomen. They are solitary in nature
Males are black with white spots on their abdomen. They look more like a typical wasp as compared to the females.
A sting from a female blue ant can be dangerous. It may cause life threatening reactions such as anaphylaxis to people who are allergic to bee or wasp stings. They need immediate medical attention.
A blue ant sting causes severe burning and swelling on the site of the bite. But as blue ants are not commonly found, they are not considered a problem species unlike social species of ants, wasps and bees. Like most insects, they only sting if disturbed so always keep away from them.
However, unlike bees, they can sting more than once and do not die after stinging. If they are multiple stings, then there may be severe systematic reactions which call for immediate medical attention.
If stung by a blue ant, then applying ice pack on the site of bite will help relieve pain. You can also wash the site with warm water and apply disinfectant. Do not scratch profusely to avoid infection.
If you are visiting blue ants’ habitats, make sure you are wearing close toed shoes and socks, full-length pants and full-sleeved shirts. If you are allergic to bee/wasp/ant stings, then always carry a special kit while traveling.