Camponotus planatus
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~60%
Camponotus planatus, known generally as the compact carpenter ant or short carpenter ant, is one of three Camponotus species that is polygynous, or has more than one queen. It is a species of ant (family Formicidae). Four species of arthropod mimic Camponotus planatus within the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve of British Honduras. This is both Batesian and Wassmanian mimicry. The first mimic is the clubnoid spider (Myrmecotypus fuliginosus) which mimics C. planatus in various ways including morphology and behaviour. Secondly, the salticid spider Sarindia linda mimics C. planatus so well that they are hard to distinguish. S. linda mimics the locomotion patterns, pumping of the abdomen, and movements of the antennae. The third mimic is a Mirid bug (Barberiella) which mimics the model in both gait and antennal mimicry. Finally, the mantid, Mantoida maya also uses C. planatus as a model. Individuals that mimic C. planatus are typically 3-9mm long and predators tend to avoid them. All four mimics have been seen foraging in areas with their model with no interference.
Camponotus planatus in Yucatan, Mexico, exhibits a seasonal shift in... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 2 | Big Cypress National Preserve | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Everglades National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Tortuguero National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 5 | Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico | |
| 6 | Braulio Carrillo National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 7 | Arenal Volcano National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 8 | Cumbres de Monterrey National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Compact Carpenter Ant sighting in Big Cypress National Preserve on a given day, based on 15 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 78th most-seen of the 262 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 July–September
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Compact Carpenter Ant in Big Cypress National Preserve on a given day, against under 5% in February and May–June, the lowest months. Those are among Big Cypress National Preserve's wettest months, with about 180 mm of rain a month against 40 mm in March.
Between noon and 3 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Compact Carpenter 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.
Among the best
Of the 8 parks where we can rate Compact Carpenter Ant sightings, Big Cypress National Preserve ranks 2nd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve (Mexico, about 10%).
Same genus: Camponotus
The closest relatives of the Compact Carpenter Ant that you can see in Big Cypress National Preserve (genus Camponotus, Carpenter Ants, Typical Sugar Ants and Allies) are Florida Carpenter Ant (about 20%) and Six-Spotted Carpenter Ant (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Compact Carpenter Ant is recorded against all the insects logged in Big Cypress National Preserve (15 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.
