Myrmica rubra
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~60%
Myrmica rubra, also known in the UK as the common red ant or in the USA as the European fire ant, is a species of ant of the genus Myrmica. It is found across Europe and is now invasive in some parts of North America and Asia. It is mainly red in colour, with slightly darker pigmentation on the head. These ants live under stones and fallen trees, and in soil. They are aggressive, often attacking rather than running away, and are equipped with a stinger, though they lack the ability to spray formic acid like the genus Formica.
This species is very similar to M. ruginodis, M. rubra is common in Southern England and becomes rarer further north whereas M. ruginodis is common all over the UK including Northern Scotland. The larvae of the butterflies Phengaris alcon (Alcon blue) and P. teleius (scarce large blue) use M. rubra as their primary host.
Research from the University of Maine suggests that a certain type of nematode might be a catalyst for colony collapse, which suggests a possible management method for Myrmica rubra. This is one of the most common and widespread Myrmica species of the Palaearctic. It occurs in the region stretching from Portugal to... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Acadia National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Wadden Sea National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a European Fire Ant sighting in Acadia National Park on a given day, based on 39 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 72nd most-seen of the 405 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 60%, if each day is a fresh chance.
April and June
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a European Fire Ant in Acadia National Park on a given day, against under 5% in September and November–March, the lowest months.
Between 10 am and 1 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most European Fire Ant sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 2 parks where we can rate European Fire Ant sightings, Acadia National Park has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Wadden Sea National Park (Germany, under 5%).
Same family: Formicidae
The closest relatives of the European Fire Ant that you can see in Acadia National Park (family Formicidae, Ants) are Eastern Black Carpenter Ant (about 10%), New York Carpenter Ant (about 10%) and Hercules Carpenter Ant (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the European Fire Ant is recorded against all the insects logged in Acadia National Park (39 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
