Meat Ants
Meat Ants, or more appealingly known as Rainbow Ants, are admirable for their hard work and benefit to a garden. They will scavenge and clean up the garden, as well as prey on pests and other insects.
Suburbs Alexander Heights Alfred Cove Alkimos Anketell Applecross Ardross Armadale Ascot Ashby Ashendon Ashfield Attadale Atwell Aubin Grove Aveley Avon Valley National Park Bailup Bakers Hill Balcatta Baldivis Balga Ballajura Bambun Banjup Banksia Grove Baskerville Bassendean Bateman Bayswater Beaconsfield Beckenham Bedford Bedfordale Beechboro Beechina Beeliar Beldon Belhus Bellevue Belmont Bennett Springs Bentley Bertram Bibra Lake Bickley Bicton Bindoon Bindoon Training Area Boonanarring Booragoon Boya Brabham Breera Brentwood Brigadoon Brookdale Bull Creek Bullsbrook Burns Beach Burswood Butler Byford Calista Camillo Canning Mills Canning Vale Cannington Carabooda Carine Carlisle Carmel Carramar Casuarina Caversham Champion Lakes Chidlow Chittering Churchlands City Beach Claremont Clarkson Cloverdale Cockburn Central Como Connolly Coodanup Coogee Coolbellup Coolbinia Cooloongup Copley Cottesloe Craigie Crawley Cullacabardee Cullalla Currambine Daglish Dale Dalkeith Darch Darling Downs Darlington Dayton Dianella Doubleview Dudley Park Duncraig East Cannington East Fremantle East Perth East Rockingham East Victoria Park Eden Hill Edgewater Eglinton Ellenbrook Embleton Ferndale Flint Floreat Flynn Forrestdale Forrestfield Fremantle Gidgegannup Girrawheen Glen Forrest Glendalough Gnangara Golden Bay Gooseberry Hill Gorrie Gosnells Greenfields Greenmount Greenwood Guildford Gwelup Hacketts Gully Hamersley Hamilton Hill Hammond Park Harrisdale Haynes Hazelmere Heathridge Helena Valley Henderson Henley Brook Herdsman Herne Hill High Wycombe Highgate Hilbert Hillarys Hillman Hilton Hocking Hope Valley Hovea Huntingdale Iluka Inglewood Inkpen Innaloo Jandabup Jandakot Jane Brook Jarrahdale Jindalee Jolimont Joondalup Joondanna Julimar Kalamunda Kallaroo Karawara Kardinya Karnup Karragullen Karrakatta Karrakup Karrinyup Kelmscott Kensington Kenwick Keralup Kewdale Kiara Kings Park Kingsley Kinross Koondoola Koongamia Kwinana Beach Kwinana Town Centre Lake Coogee Lakelands Landsdale Langford Lathlain Leda Leederville Leeming Lennard Brook Lesley Lesmurdie Lexia Lockridge Lower Chittering Lynwood Maddington Madeley Madora Bay Mahogany Creek Maida Vale Malaga Malmalling Mandogalup Mandurah Manning Marangaroo Mariginiup Marmion Martin Maylands Meadow Springs Medina Melaleuca Melville Menora Merriwa Middle Swan Midland Midvale Millendon Mindarie Mindarra Mirrabooka Mogumber Mooliabeenee Moondah Moondyne Morangup Morley Mosman Park Mount Claremont Mount Cooke Mount Hawthorn Mount Helena Mount Lawley Mount Nasura Mount Observation Mount Pleasant Mount Richon Muchea Mullaloo Mundaring Munster Murdoch Myaree Naval Base Nedlands Neerabup Nollamara Noranda North Bannister North Beach North Coogee North Fremantle North Lake North Perth Northbridge Nowergup O’Connor Oakford Ocean Reef Orange Grove Orelia Osborne Park Padbury Palmyra Parkerville Parklands Parkwood Parmelia Paulls Valley Pearsall Peppermint Grove Peron Perth Perth Airport Piara Waters Pickering Brook Piesse Brook Pinjar Port Kennedy Postans Queens Park Quinns Rocks Red Hill Redcliffe Reservoir Ridgewood Riverton Rivervale Rockingham Roleystone Rossmoyne Safety Bay Salter Point Samson San Remo Sawyers Valley Scarborough Secret Harbour Seville Grove Shelley Shenton Park Shoalwater Silver Sands Sinagra Singleton Sorrento South Fremantle South Guildford South Lake South Perth Southern River Spearwood St James Stirling Stoneville Stratton Subiaco Success Swan View Swanbourne Tamala Park Tapping The Lakes The Spectacles The Vines Thornlie Treeby Trigg Tuart Hill Two Rocks Upper Swan Victoria Park Viveash Waikiki Walliston Walyunga National Park Wandi Wangara Wannamal Wanneroo Warnbro Warwick Waterford Watermans Bay Wattle Grove Wattleup Wellard Welshpool Wembley Wembley Downs West Leederville West Perth West Swan Westminster White Gum Valley Whiteman Willagee Willetton Wilson Winthrop Woodbridge Woodlands Woodvale Wooroloo Woottating Wundowie Wungong Yanchep Yangebup Yarawindah Yeal Yokine Other invertebrates
Bushland
Heathland
Noongar Names: Kirlar (Ants)
Scientific Name: Iridomyrmex spp.
Conservation Status: Least Concern
Threats: Not applicable
Will they visit?: They are a common around home gardens
Natural Distribution: Common and widespread throughout the South West and Perth region
Iridomyrmex purpureus – cameron14pg (CC BY-NC 4.0)
Iridomyrmex purpureus – daniel_heald (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
Iridomyrmex purpureus – simono (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
Habitat at a Glance
See Habitat Guide for more detail
Shelter: Damplands, under logs, and in thick leaf litter.
Diet: Fruits, nectar, and pollen
Water: Not required
ReWild Benefit: Pest control, pollination
Habitat Guide - Shelter
Natural Shelter
Meat Ants climb well and prefer to forage in groups within the canopy of shrubs and trees. They will also live in a good layer of mulch, under lawns, and in ground cover.
Novel Shelter
Not required.
Habitat Guide - Food and Water
Providing natural sources of food
Meat Ant eat many types of food including nectar, pollen, and other small invertebrates. Some species provide care for the caterpillars of native butterflies. Plant wattles, banksia, and other flowering native to provide foraging habitat for native ants.
Providing sources of water
Not required.
ReWild Benefits
Native ants are miniature ecosystem engineers. They pollinate, disperse seeds, care for young pollinators, and maintain soil health. If you find this busy ant, you can record your sighting on the Atlas of Living Australia !
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