Paraponera clavata, commonly known as “bala” or “bullet ant” in English, is a species of ant that is commonly found throughout Costa Rica. The bullet ant has been found to be distributed throughout Central and South America, generally in tropical forest zones. This species is the only member of the genus Paraponera, and it’s closest relative is believed to have gone extinct in the Miocene epoch (approximately 23-50 million years ago), in the Neogene Period. The Latin meaning of the species name “clavata” translates to “club shape,” which describes the appearance of the bala’s head.

Bullet ants are approximately 18 -33 mm long, (generally quite easy to spot in the jungle if you are looking for them,) resembling decently sized, reddish-black, wingless wasps.  Unlike most other species of ants, the Paraponera clavata does not exhibit polymorphism, meaning that there is only one morph or form of the ant, with the only distinguishing factor being that the queen is slight larger than the males (worker ants). A colony of bullet ants generally consists of several hundred individuals and are usually located subterraneously at the base of trees, approximately 1 base per 4 hectares. Generally, these ants travel the upper canopy looking for small arthropods and nectar, and it is this access to the upper canopy that causes the ants to nest here.

As of yet, this species has not yet been listed nor classified by the IUCN, nor have there been any discussions towards their conservation. This may be due to the fact that the Paraponera clavata is renowned for its large size and powerful sting. As indicated by the species common name, this ant is believed to have the most painful sting across the entire Hymenopteran order, according to the Schmidt Pain Index; scoring a four+.  The ant has been described in Venezuela as the “24-hour ant” because of the excruciating waves of burning that compare to being shot, for 24 hours without abating. This is due to the neurotoxin “poneratoxin” which can affect the entire central nervous system.

Overall, this species is quite common throughout Costa Rica and the tropics, and if encountered, should be completely avoided and left unprovoked, like many predators of the forest have learned to do.

Courtesy of Google Images

Citations

“Clavata”. Biology Online Dictionary. Retrieved 26 May, 2017.

The Word:Sting pain index”. 2617. New Scientist. 2007: 44. Retrieved 28 May, 2017.

Morgan, Randy C. “Giant Tropical Bullet Ant, Paraponera clavata, Natural History and Captive Management”. Sonoran Arthropod Studies Institute. Archived from the original on March 23, 2009. Retrieved May 27, 2017.