 Almost all species in the genus Myrmecia are found in Australia and its coastal islands . M. apicalis is the only species not native to Australia , and is only found in the Isle of Pines , New Caledonia . Only one ant has ever established nests outside its native range ; M. brevinoda was first discovered in New Zealand in 1940 , and the ant was recorded in Devonport in 1948 , 1965 and 1981 , where a single nest was destroyed . Sources suggest the ant was introduced to New Zealand through human activity ; they were found inside a wooden crate brought from Australia . While no eradication attempt was made by the New Zealand government , the ant has not been found in the country since 1981 and is presumed to have been eradicated . 
