Banded sugar ant 20 cm (8 in) in diameter and usually funnel-shaped and ephemeral. Mounds are not constructed in undisturbed regions where land degradation has not occurred. Instead, the entrance of a nest consists of a smooth-walled vertical shaft that is in diameter. Chambers in the nest have a similar appearance to the nest entrance (shaft-like walls), and the floors within the chambers are typically in length with an arched roof that is in height. Excavated meat ant nests show that banded sugar ants will also inhabit them. Banded sugar ants are the dominant group of nocturnal ants in their range. Workers are
Meat ant to gain access to water or where water has been spilt, either if the site is nearby their nest or far away. Despite their dominance among ants, a number of animals are known to prey on meat ants. The short-beaked echidna ("Tachyglossus aculeatus") is a prominent predator of the meat ant, mostly due to the high fat levels (up to 47%) in virgin queens. These queens can almost contain 47% fat, and when no queens are available after an attack, an echidna may stop attacking the nest. However, these ants are normally consumed either in low numbers or avoided entirely.