Linepithema humile
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
The Argentine ant (Linepithema humile, formerly Iridomyrmex humilis) is an ant native to northern Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia and southern Brazil. This invasive species was inadvertently introduced by humans on a global scale and has become established in many Mediterranean climate areas, including South Africa, New Zealand, Japan, Easter Island, Australia, the Azores, Europe, Hawaii, and the continental United States. Argentine ants are significant pests within agricultural and urban settings, and are documented to cause substantial harm to communities of native arthropods, vertebrates, and plants within their invaded range.
Linepithema humile is a small-bodied (2.2–2.6 mm) ant species, dull light to dark brown in color. Within the invasion zone, ant colonies are large and include many workers and multiple queens. Argentine ants are opportunistic with regard to nesting preferences. Colony nests have been found in the ground, in cracks in concrete walls, in spaces between boards and timbers, even among belongings in human dwellings. In natural areas, they generally nest shallowly in loose leaf litter or beneath small stones, due to their poor ability to dig... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Channel Islands National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Table Mountain National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tijuana | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 2 | Las Vegas | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Quito | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | |
| 4 | Santiago | 🇨🇱 Chile | |
| 5 | Los Angeles | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | San Francisco | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | La Paz | 🇧🇴 Bolivia | |
| 8 | Mexico City | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 9 | San Diego | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Barcelona | 🇪🇸 Spain |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report an Argentine Ant sighting in Channel Islands National Park on a given day, based on 9 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 91st most-seen of the 131 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 40%, if each day is a fresh chance.
August
In that month about 30% of wildlife watchers report an Argentine Ant in Channel Islands National Park on a given day, against under 5% in September to July, the lowest months. That is one of Channel Islands National Park's driest months, with almost no rain against 60 mm in January.
Between 4 and 7 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Argentine 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.
Yes
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Argentine Ant sightings, Channel Islands National Park has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Table Mountain National Park (South Africa, under 5%).
Same family: Formicidae
The closest relatives of the Argentine Ant that you can see in Channel Islands National Park (family Formicidae, Ants) are Formica moki (about 10%), Hyatt's Big-Headed Ant (about 10%) and Bicolored Pyramid Ant (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Argentine Ant is recorded against all the insects logged in Channel Islands National Park (9 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.
