Solenopsis molesta
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Solenopsis molesta is the best known species of Solenopsis thief ants. They get their names from their habit of nesting close to other ant nests, from which they steal food. They are also called grease ants because they are attracted to grease. Nuptial flight in this species occur from late July through early fall.
S. molesta range anywhere from 1/32 of an inch (0.5 mm) to 1/8 of an inch (3 mm) long. Queens in this species measure at just over 5mm in length and range from a yellow to a light brown color. Workers are yellow and occasionally pale brown in appearance. They have very small eyes and are covered in erect and sub-erect yellow hairs. These ants have a two-segmented petiole (a petiole and postpetiole) connecting their abdomen to the thorax.
They have 10 segments in their antennae, which end in large segmented clubs. Thief ants possess small stingers on their oblong abdomens. Worker ants have large jaws for carrying food, usually other ants' brood, back to the colony. The larvae of thief ants have been described from the Brazilian species Solenopsis helena. Despite a general resemblance to the larvae of the larger fire ants, the larvae of thief ants are much... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
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More parks will be added in future updates.
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Toronto | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 2 | New York City | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Washington | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Montreal | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 5 | Chicago | 🇺🇸 United States |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Common American Thief Ant sighting in Chicago on a given day, based on 12 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 560th most-seen of the 978 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 20%, if each day is a fresh chance.
Any time of year
In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Common American Thief Ant in Chicago on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.
Among the best
Of the 5 cities where we can rate Common American Thief Ant sightings, Chicago ranks 5th at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Toronto (Canada, under 5%), New York City (United States, under 5%) and Washington (United States, under 5%).
Same family: Formicidae
The closest relatives of the Common American Thief Ant that you can see in Chicago (family Formicidae, Ants) are Eastern Black Carpenter Ant (about 10%), American Winter Ant (about 10%) and Immigrant Pavement Ant (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Common American Thief Ant is recorded against all the insects logged in Chicago (12 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.
