Formica pratensis
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
Formica pratensis, the black-backed meadow ant, is a species of European red wood ant in the family Formicidae. F. pratensis can reach a length of 4.5–9.5 mm (0.18–0.37 in) in workers, slightly larger than in other species such as the more common southern wood ant F. rufa or F. polyctena. Queens reach a size of 9.5–11.3 mm (0.37–0.44 in). The thorax is mainly reddish, while the abdomen and the top of the head are black or dark brown. Generally, this large ant is much darker than other species of wood ants. Their whole bodies are covered with fine hairs. Two large deep black patch are present on the pronotum and mesonotum. The legs, antennae, and the well-developed mouthparts are reddish or dark brown.
Their nests are built from grasses, pine needles and straw, and can reach... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bavarian Forest National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 2 | Cévennes National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 3 | Pyrénées National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 4 | Sierra de Guadarrama National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Black-Backed Meadow Ant sighting in Bavarian Forest National Park on a given day, based on 7 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 822nd most-seen of the 1115 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
March
In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Black-Backed Meadow Ant in Bavarian Forest National Park on a given day, against under 5% in April and June–February, the lowest months.
Between 10 am and 1 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Black-Backed Meadow Ant sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 4 parks where we can rate Black-Backed Meadow Ant sightings, Bavarian Forest National Park has the highest daily chance: under 5%. Next come Cévennes National Park (France, under 5%) and Pyrénées National Park (France, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Black-Backed Meadow Ant is recorded against all the insects logged in Bavarian Forest National Park (7 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.
