Amblyopone australis
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~30%
Amblyopone australis, the southern Michelin ant, is a species of ant in the genus Amblyopone, native to Australia. The species was described by Wilhelm Ferdinand Erichson in 1842. Workers can vary in colour from yellow to dark brown or black. They have a body length of 4.5–8mm; queens are larger.
It has been accidentally introduced to New Zealand, where it has become widely established across the North Island. It is the largest ant species established in New Zealand. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blue Mountains National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
More parks will be added in future updates.
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Southern Michelin Ant sighting in Auckland on a given day, based on 24 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 242nd most-seen of the 689 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
July–September and December–March
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Southern Michelin Ant in Auckland on a given day, against under 5% in April–June and October–November, the lowest months.
Between 2 and 5 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Southern Michelin Ant sightings with a recorded time, and about 7 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 3 cities where we can rate Southern Michelin Ant sightings, Auckland has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Sydney (Australia, under 5%) and Melbourne (Australia, under 5%).
Same family: Formicidae
The closest relatives of the Southern Michelin Ant that you can see in Auckland (family Formicidae, Ants) are Blue Pony Ant (about 10%), White-Footed House Ant (about 10%) and Copper-Bellied Ant (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Southern Michelin Ant is recorded against all the insects logged in Auckland (24 verified sightings), 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.
