Pogonomyrmex rugosus
In 3 days ~50% in a week ~80%
Pogonomyrmex rugosus, the desert harvester ant or rough harvester ant, is a species of harvester ant in the subfamily Myrmicinae which is found in the southwestern United States,and Northern Mexico. Pogonomyrmex rugosus can be found in open, sandy, and hot areas. They will typically forage during the day, bringing seeds back to the colony and scavenging dead insects they may find. Nests will often have a small circle around the entrance which has been cleared of foliage, making them easily recognizable.
P. Rugosus has two distinct color variants. P. Rugosus found in southwestern deserts such as in California and Arizona, will feature a red and black color scheme, where as those found in more central parts of the United States and Mexico will be fully black.
Pogonomyrmex Rugosus will typically perform their nuptial flights from July–September, during hot daytime conditions of 80–95°F and during elevated humidity, usually after rain the previous day. P. rugosus colonies can grow to have up to 15,000 workers.
P. rugosus workers use group foraging tactics that involve the creation of... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joshua Tree National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Big Bend National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Zion National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Death Valley National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Saguaro National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ciudad Juárez | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 2 | Las Vegas | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Mesa | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Phoenix | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | San Diego | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Los Angeles | 🇺🇸 United States |
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Rough Harvester Ant sighting in Big Bend National Park on a given day, based on 56 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 31st most-seen of the 329 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 50%, and over a week to about 80%, if each day is a fresh chance.
December
In that month about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Rough Harvester Ant in Big Bend National Park on a given day, against under 5% in February, the lowest month.
Between 10 am and 1 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Rough Harvester Ant sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 5 parks where we can rate Rough Harvester Ant sightings, Big Bend National Park ranks 2nd at about 20%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Joshua Tree National Park (United States, about 20%).
Same family: Formicidae
The closest relatives of the Rough Harvester Ant that you can see in Big Bend National Park (family Formicidae, Ants) are Novomessor cockerelli (about 10%), Camponotus festinatus (about 10%) and Liometopum luctuosum (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Rough Harvester Ant is recorded against all the insects logged in Big Bend National Park (56 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.
