How to Get Rid of Bull Ants Around Your Home

Bull ants are large ants, up to 40 millimetres long, that nest underground and attack anything that comes close to the nest. Their sting is painful and can occasionally cause a severe allergic reaction. The most reliable way to get rid of them is to have the nest found and treated at the source. Call 0482074889 or send a photo for a clear price from Marks Pest Control.

Last updated 2 November 2026.

What do bull ants look like?

Bull ants are large ants with big eyes, long slender jaws and a venom-loaded sting. They range from about 8 millimetres to as long as 40 millimetres, and many species have bright red or orange on the head or the abdomen. They have excellent eyesight and can track and follow a person from about 1 metre away. Some of the smaller species are known as jumper ants because they jump toward an intruder. There are around 90 species across Australia, and they live in suburban gardens, forests, woodland and heath. A bull ant walking alone is usually looking for food, and one near its nest is guarding it. They attack intruders of any size that come close, gripping with the jaws and curling the abdomen to sting, often more than once, so a nest by a path, a clothesline or a play area needs attention soon.

Where do bull ants nest?

Bull ants usually nest underground, often with a small or hidden entrance, and the tunnels can reach several metres below the surface. In a home garden you may find nests in lawns, garden beds, along fence lines, under paving and logs, and at the base of trees. Nests are easy to disturb by accident when mowing, digging, laying paving or moving garden items, and the ants can stream out in large numbers when disturbed. If you see a mound, a cluster of large ants or a small hole with ants guarding it, keep people and animals away and do not poke it, flood it or dig into it. Take a photo from a distance and send it to us. A nest in a busy part of the yard, near play areas or beside a path, is the one that most needs treatment.

How bad is a bull ant sting?

A bull ant sting is painful, and the pain can last for some time. The ant grips with its jaws, curls its abdomen and stings, and it often stings more than once. Most people have pain, redness, swelling and itching around the sting that settles within a day, but larger swelling over 10 centimetres is a large reaction at the site and can last for days. A small number of people have a severe allergic reaction, called anaphylaxis, after a bull ant sting. Call 000 for noisy breathing, a swollen tongue or throat, wheeze, a persistent cough, a change in voice, dizziness or collapse, and use an adrenaline autoinjector first if the person has one. See a doctor if the person was stung in the mouth or near the eyes, feels dizzy, or the swelling keeps growing or lasts more than several hours.

What is the first aid for a bull ant sting?

• Move away from the nest.
• Scrape out any stinger with something firm, such as a bank card or a fingernail.
• Wash the area with soap and water.
• Hold a wrapped ice pack on it for 15 minutes. Use a fresh pack if pain continues.
• Paracetamol or an anti-inflammatory can ease pain, and an antihistamine can ease itching.
• Call 000 for any signs of a severe allergic reaction.

Source: healthdirect, Ant stings and bites.

How do I get rid of bull ants?

Getting rid of bull ants means treating the nest, because killing the few ants you can see leaves the colony underground. Keep people and animals away from the nest, and do not pour boiling water, fuel or any other liquid down the hole, since that can make the ants swarm and can harm the soil and plants. Wear closed shoes in the garden and look before you mow, dig or lift paving. A technician identifies the ant, finds the nest entrances and treats the nest at the source, so the colony is dealt with and not only the ants on the surface. Because bull ants are quick to attack and the nest is deep, treatment is a job for a technician. We tell you what to expect, and we check again if ants are still active after a week or two.

How do I keep bull ants away from the house?

• Keep lawns mown and clear away logs, bark and garden rubbish near the house
• Fill gaps under paving and at slab edges once the nest is treated
• Keep mulch and garden beds a short distance from the walls
• Wear closed shoes outdoors and gloves when gardening
• Look before you move rocks, pots and stored items
• Teach young people not to poke or disturb nests
• Send us a photo if a nest appears again

Are all large ants bull ants?

No. Jack jumper ants have a black body and orange legs, jump and can cause severe reactions in some people. Other large ants, such as carpenter ants, are not bull ants, and winged insects coming from timber or soil could be termites. If you are not sure what you have, send us a photo and we will tell you before any treatment begins.

FAQs

Do bull ants come inside the house?

They mostly stay outdoors, and a bull ant indoors is usually a single one that wandered in. A nest close to the house can send ants through gaps.

Are bull ants dangerous?

Their stings are painful and can cause a severe allergic reaction in some people. Keep away from nests and call 000 for signs of anaphylaxis.

Will bull ants leave on their own?

Nests usually stay and can grow. Moving a nest or disturbing it often makes the ants more aggressive.

Can I use boiling water on a bull ant nest?

It is a poor choice. The ants can swarm, and the nest is deep, so the colony usually survives.

How much does bull ant treatment cost?

It depends on the number of nests, where they are and how hard they are to reach. We give a clear price after an inspection or a look at your photos.

Do you treat bull ants in Melbourne and Geelong?

Yes, across the areas on our region pages.

Related: How to stop ants coming into the house | Pest Control Melbourne | Pest Control Cost Melbourne