They're on the footpath, ruining your picnic and marching through the pantry, but selling ants is big business. From his house in suburban Canberra, Paul Hailes harvests, collects and breeds bull ants ...

Queensland scientists have identified a toxin in bull ant venom that seems to have cleverly evolved specifically to target short-beaked echidnas, the main predator of ants in the Aussie bush.

Native to Australia, Bulldog Ants are highly aggressive and possess a powerful sting. They can jump and attack multiple times, and their venom can cause intense pain and sometimes even death.

Many of us grew up fearing bull ants, but have you ever been stung by a jack jumper ant? If you have, you’ll likely never forget it.