 A queen will mate with one or more males , and during colony foundation she will hunt for food until the brood have fully developed . The life cycle of the ant from egg to adult takes several months . Myrmecia workers exhibit greater longevity in comparison to other ants , and workers are also gamergates , that are able to reproduce with male ants . Myrmecia is one of the most primitive group of ants on earth , exhibiting differentiated behaviours from other ants . Workers are solitary hunters and do not lead other workers to food . Adults are omnivores that feed on sweet substances , but the larvae are carnivores that feed on captured prey . Very few predators eat these ants due to their sting , but their larvae are often consumed by blindsnakes and echnidnas , and a number of parasites infect both adults and brood . Some species are also effective pollinators . 
