Completed
Atta laevigata
Atta laevigata
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumArthropoda (Arthropods)
- ClassInsecta (Insects)
- OrderHymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Wasps, and Sawflies)
- FamilyFormicidae (Ants)
- GenusAtta
- SpeciesAtta laevigata
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
9 Verified sightings at Belo Horizonte
5 In 1 park From 2019 to 2026
April Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted
About the Atta laevigata
Atta laevigata (Smith, 1858) is one of about a dozen species of leafcutter ants in the genus Atta, found from Venezuela and south to Paraguay. This species is one of the largest leafcutter species, and can be recognized by the smooth and shining head of the largest workers in a colony. Atta laevigata is known in northern South America as hormiga culona (literally translated as "big-assed ant"), or as sikisapa in Peru, bachaco culón in Venezuela, akango in Paraguay. In Brazil they are known as "saúva-cabeça-de-vidro" (literally "glass-headed saúva"), with saúva being the common name for all Atta ants. Other Atta species are called zompopo de mayo in Central America and chicatana in Mexico.
The colony sizes of these ants are made up of around 3.5 million individuals. The hormiga culona has been eaten for hundreds (if not thousands) of years, as a tradition inherited from pre-colonial cultures such as the Guanes. The ants are harvested for about nine weeks during the rainy season every year, at the time when they make their nuptial flight. A. laevigata are used as traditional gifts in weddings. There are local superstitions and beliefs regarding the ants as aphrodisiacs... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Atta laevigata in Belo Horizonte
LIVEiNaturalistGlobal Distribution
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chapada dos Guimarães National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil |
More parks will be added in future updates.
Cities Where Found
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manaus | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 2 | Brasilia | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 3 | Caracas | 🇻🇪 Venezuela | |
| 4 | Belo Horizonte | 🇧🇷 Brazil |
Closest Relatives at Belo Horizonte
Before you go
What are the chances of seeing an Atta laevigata in Belo Horizonte?
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report an Atta laevigata sighting in Belo Horizonte on a given day, based on 9 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 113th most-seen of the 186 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.
When is the best time to see an Atta laevigata in Belo Horizonte?
April, June and August
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report an Atta laevigata in Belo Horizonte on a given day, against under 5% in May, July and September–March, the lowest months. Those are among Belo Horizonte's driest months, with about 25 mm of rain a month against 270 mm in December.
What time of day is best to see an Atta laevigata?
Between 9 am and noon
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Atta laevigata sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Is Belo Horizonte the best place to see an Atta laevigata?
4th of 4
Of the 4 cities where we can rate Atta laevigata sightings, Belo Horizonte ranks 4th at under 5%. The best odds are in Manaus (Brazil, about 20%), Brasilia (Brazil, about 10%) and Caracas (Venezuela, about 10%).
Where does the Atta laevigata sighting chance come from?
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Atta laevigata is recorded against all the insects logged in Belo Horizonte (9 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.
