Pogonomyrmex badius
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Pogonomyrmex badius, or the Florida harvester ant, is a species of harvester ant in the genus Pogonomyrmex. It is the only Pogonomyrmex species found on the east coast of the United States and the only one in North America known to be polymorphic. The Florida Harvester ant is commonly found in Florida scrub and other similar habitats within the Atlantic coastal plain.
P. badius is a relatively large species of harvester ant present throughout Florida scrub and are one of the most notable and unique inhabitants of the ecoregion. The workers are highly polymorphic, ranging from 6.35 mm for the smallest workers to 9.52 mm for the largest majors which can rival the queen (10 - 12 mm) in size.
Both queens, majors and intermediates have disproportionately large heads, while minors have a more narrow complexion when viewed at the front. Under normal circumstances this species lacks epinotal spines which sit parallel on the propodeum though these spines may occasionally be present.
The Florida Harvester ant is a highly active diurnal species well adapted to the hot and dry habitats of the southeastern United States. Colonies are near exclusively... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge | 🇺🇸 United States |
More parks will be added in future updates.
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Florida Harvester Ant sighting in Orlando on a given day, based on 10 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 191st most-seen of the 294 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.
March and October
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Florida Harvester Ant in Orlando on a given day, against under 5% in April–September and November–February, the lowest months.
Between 10 am and 1 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Florida Harvester 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.
2nd of 2
Of the 2 cities where we can rate Florida Harvester Ant sightings, Orlando ranks 2nd at under 5%. The best odds are in Miami (United States, about 10%).
Same family: Formicidae
The closest relatives of the Florida Harvester Ant that you can see in Orlando (family Formicidae, Ants) are Florida Carpenter Ant (about 10%), Red Imported Fire Ant (about 10%) and Buren's Pyramid Ant (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Florida Harvester Ant is recorded against all the insects logged in Orlando (10 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.
