Temnothorax curvispinosus
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Temnothorax curvispinosus, the acorn ant, is a species of ant in the genus Temnothorax. The species is common and widely distributed in eastern United States, where they tend to inhabit forested areas. The ground-dwelling ants build their nests in plant cavities, in the soil or under rocks. It is sometimes called the acorn ant because it can live inside hollowed out acorns.
Acorn ants are found in both rural and urban habitats. The acorn ant is temperature-sensitive, and urban environments tend to be hotter and change temperature more rapidly than rural ones. Urban populations of acorn ants can evolve improved heat tolerance and also increased plasticity in responding to temperature changes. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shenandoah National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Great Smoky Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | New York City | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Boston | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Philadelphia | 🇺🇸 United States |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Bent-Spined Acorn Ant sighting in Philadelphia on a given day, based on 5 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 557th most-seen of the 632 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 Bent-Spined Acorn Ant in Philadelphia on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.
Between 11 am and 2 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Bent-Spined Acorn Ant sightings with a recorded time, and about 7 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is seen both by day and at night.
Among the best
Of the 4 cities where we can rate Bent-Spined Acorn Ant sightings, Philadelphia ranks 4th at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Washington (United States, under 5%), New York City (United States, under 5%) and Boston (United States, under 5%).
Same family: Formicidae
The closest relatives of the Bent-Spined Acorn Ant that you can see in Philadelphia (family Formicidae, Ants) are American Winter Ant (about 10%), Eastern Black Carpenter 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 Bent-Spined Acorn Ant is recorded against all the insects logged in Philadelphia (5 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.
