How Common Are Bullet Ants?

Known as the world’s most painful stinging insect, bullet ants live in tropical rainforests of Central and South America. They have stings that are both painful and toxic. The Bullet Ant is classified in the Hymenoptera order.

Bullet ants live in large colonies that have hundreds of individuals. The nests are located under trees and shrubs. They forage on plant material, including plant sap and nectar. They may also take food back to the nest.

Bullet ants have a large stinger that is elongated and tri-segmented. The sting is highly toxic and may cause hysterical shaking. The sting is caused by the ant’s release of poneratoxin, a neurotoxic peptide. The venom is highly lethal.

The sting can last up to 24 hours. In some cases, the sting will result in temporary paralysis. Bullet ants are often parasitized by a phorid fly, which lays eggs in the ant’s wound.

Bullet ants are usually non-aggressive, but they can become aggressive if threatened. They are also preyed upon by various insectivores, including birds and other insects. They also build cities that are prime targets for larger predators.

Bullet ants have an exoskeleton made of chitin. This exoskeleton prevents them from flying away from an attack. They are also distinguished from other ants by their thoraxes, which are hairy.

A single worker ant may have between 20 and 30 fly larvae. Normally, the ant’s mandibles clamp down on the stinger before a sting occurs.