what I find really amazing in Australia Apart from the fact that the entire country is covered with jumping kangaroos
or that there are giant lizards climbing on trees
is the diversity of ants with golden abdomens
These are Polyrhachis, this is probably the most common genus of ants with golden abdomens in Australia
I always wonder why these ants have such bright colors
and I think it may help them reflect the sun which is particularly important in Australia
Most of these Polyrhachis spend their time outside collecting honeydew
from aphids or dead insects
but not all golden ants spend most of their time in the sun
These Dolichoderis scabridus spend most of their time in the bush
they build loose nests under rocks, under barks or directly in the litter
Polyrhachis and Dolichoderus are not the only golden ants
some bull ant species also have a golden abdomen
these Myrmecia may have evolved may have evolved these bright colors to help their predators remember how painful their sting is
harmless animals often mimick the dangerous ones which is referred to as Batesian mimicry
It is possible that some genus of golden ants like Dolichoderus, Camponotus or Polyrhachis
which don't have a sting mimic those bull ants to avoid predators
the fourth very common genus of golden ants in Australia is Camponotus
the golden Camponotus are more discreet than the Polyrhachis, Dolichoderus or even the bull ants
but they can be found under rocks with their larvae on most of the Eastern Australian coast
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