Very few predators eat these ants due to their sting, but their larvae are often consumed by blindsnakes and echidnas, and a number of parasites infect both adults and brood.

[15] However, one study suggests that the age of the most recent common ancestor for Myrmecia and Nothomyrmecia is 74 Mya, and the subfamily is possibly younger than previously thought.

[23] In 1877, Italian entomologist Carlo Emery classified the genus into the newly established subfamily Myrmeciidae, family Myrmicidae.

[26] Swiss myrmecologist Auguste Forel initially treated the Poneridae as a subfamily and classified Myrmecia as one of its constituent genera but later placed it in the Ponerinae.

[34] This revision was rejected by entomologist William Brown due to the lack of morphological evidence that would make the two genera distinct from each other.

The type species for the genus is M. gulosa, discovered by Joseph Banks in 1770 during his expedition with James Cook on HMS Endeavour.

[56][57] The genus Myrmecia retains many traits that are considered basal for all ants (i.e. workers foraging alone and relying on visual cues).

[77] Their colouration is variable; black combined with red and yellow is a common pattern, and many species have golden-coloured pubescence (hair).

[79] The formicine ant Camponotus bendigensis is similar in appearance to M. fulvipes, and data suggest C. bengdigensis is a batesian mimic of M.

[96] Sources suggest the ant was introduced to New Zealand through human activity; they were found inside a wooden crate brought from Australia.

[101] Some species construct dome-shaped mounds containing a single entrance, but some nests have numerous holes that are constantly used and can extend several metres underground.

[123][124][125] Pollination of this orchid usually occurs between April and June during warm afternoons, and may take several days until the short-lived males all die.

[131] Foraging M. pilosula workers are regularly observed on the inflorescences of Prasophyllum alpinum (mostly pollinated by wasps of the family Ichneumonidae).

[132] Although pollinia are often seen in the ants' jaw, they have a habit of cleaning their mandibles on the leaves and stems of nectar-rich plants before moving on, preventing pollen exchange.

[135] Adult workers prey on a variety of insects and arthropods, such as beetles, caterpillars, earwigs, Ithone fusca, Perga sawflies, and spiders.

The blindsnake Ramphotyphlops nigrescens consumes the larvae and pupae of Myrmecia,[151][152] while avoiding the potent sting of the adults, which it is vulnerable to.

[157] The Australian magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen), the black currawong (Strepera versicolor), and the white-winged chough (Corcorax melanorhamphos) prey on these ants, but few are successfully taken.

[162] Other parasites include Beauveria bassiana,[163] Paecilomyces lilacinus,[164] Chalcura affinis, Tricoryna wasps,[165] and various mermithid nematodes.

[183] A queen searches for a suitable nest site to establish her colony, and excavates a small chamber in the soil or under logs and rocks, where she takes care of her young.

[182][198][199] Ideal conditions for nuptial flight are hot stormy days with windspeeds of 30 km/h (18 mi/h) and temperatures reaching 30 °C (86 °F), and elevations of 91 metres (300 ft).

[90] The queen is unable to bear the weight of the large number of males trying to mate with her, and will drop to the ground, with the ants dispersing later on.

[263][264] Indigenous Australians use bush remedies to treat Myrmecia stings, such as rubbing the tips of bracken ferns onto the stung area.

[249] Desensitisation (also called allergy immunotherapy) is offered to those who are susceptible to M. pilosula stings, and the program has shown effectiveness in preventing anaphylaxis.

This sort of immunotherapy is designed to change how the immune system reacts to increased doses of venom entering the body.

[274] Before 1986 allergic reactions were not recorded and there was no study on Myrmecia sting venom; whole body extracts were later used on patients during the 1990s, but this was found to be ineffective and was subsequently withdrawn.

[277] Wearing closed footwear such as boots and shoes can reduce the risk of getting stung; these ants are capable of stinging through fabric, however.

[104] Eliminating nearby nests or moving to areas with low Myrmecia populations significantly decreases the chances of getting stung.

[279] The ant is featured on a postage stamp and on an uncirculated coin which are part of the Things That Sting issue by Australia Post,[280][281] and M. gulosa is the emblem for the Australian Entomological Society.

[44] Myrmecia famously appears in the philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer's major work, The World as Will and Representation, as a paradigmatic example of strife and constant destruction endemic to the "will to live".

"[282]Notable Australian poet Diane Fahey wrote a poem about Myrmecia, which is based on Schopenhauer's description,[283] and a music piece written by German composer Karola Obermüller was named after the ant.