Bull Ant Sting: How Painful and How Dangerous Is It?

Nov 3

2 min read

Updated: 1 day ago

Bull ants are famous for their sting. A worker grabs hold with its long jaws, curls its gaster forward and stings, often more than once. Here is what makes the bull ant sting so powerful, how painful it is and when it becomes dangerous.

Myrmecia pyriformis bull ant — Myrmecia pyriformis, listed by Guinness World Records as the most dangerous ant.

A sting without barbs

The sting of a bull ant has no barbs, so it does not get stuck in the skin. That means a bull ant can sting again and again. Bull ants do not need to bite first to use their sting, but their long jaws help them hold on while they sting.

One of the most potent venoms in the insect world

Bull ant venom is a mix of proteins, enzymes and small peptides, together with substances such as histamine. In laboratory tests, the venom of several bull ant species is among the most toxic of all insect venoms. The venom of the jack jumper contains special peptides called pilosulins, one of which is the main cause of allergic reactions.

How painful is it?

On the Starr sting pain scale, a scale from 1 to 4 for insect stings, bull ant stings score around 2 to 3. The pain is sharp and burning, and with some species it can last for a long time. The sting of Myrmecia gulosa can hurt for a couple of days, and the burning sting of the jumper ant Myrmecia nigrocincta can last for days and sometimes leads to a small ulcer if left untreated.

The real danger: allergy

For most people, a bull ant sting is very painful but not dangerous. The real risk is an allergic reaction. In parts of Australia, a few percent of people are allergic to jack jumper venom, and about half of them can react with anaphylaxis, a severe allergic reaction that can be life threatening. Several deaths have been recorded in Australia over the years, mostly from jack jumper stings. Read more in jack jumper ant allergy. For ant stings in general, read can an ant sting kill you and do ants bite or sting.

The most dangerous ant in the world?

Guinness World Records has listed Myrmecia pyriformis as the most dangerous ant in the world, and Myrmecia forficata is often called the most venomous of the bulldog ants. How dangerous a sting is, however, depends mostly on the person who is stung. Read more about Myrmecia pyriformis and Myrmecia forficata.

What to do after a sting

This is general information, not medical advice. Wash the spot, cool it and rest. Get medical help immediately if someone has trouble breathing, swelling of the face or throat, dizziness, or feels faint after a sting, or if they know they are allergic. In Australia, the emergency number is 000. People with a known allergy usually get personal advice from their doctor.

Bull ant or bullet ant?

The bullet ant from South America has the most painful sting of any insect, but its pain is the main problem. With bull ants, the main danger is allergy. Read the full comparison in bull ant or bullet ant, or learn more in our bull ant facts.