Plectroctena mandibularis
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~30%
Plectroctena mandibularis, called the ringbum ant or millipede munching ant, is a large species of ant that ranges from the Eastern Cape, South Africa, through East Africa to Ethiopia. Their workers forage singly in open terrain, and their colony size seldom exceeds fifty individuals. It is one of the large Plectroctena species, including P. conjugata and P. minor, that specialize on adult millipedes as prey. The nest is composed of chambers that are typically located two feet or more below the surface, and the nest entrances are usually marked by large piles of earth. They get their colloquial, common name from their tendency to prey on millipedes. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Garden Route National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | Addo Elephant National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 3 | iSimangaliso Wetland Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 4 | Kruger National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Ringbum Millipede Muncher Ant sighting in Pretoria on a given day, based on 7 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 175th most-seen of the 274 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.
February, April–May and October–December
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Ringbum Millipede Muncher Ant in Pretoria on a given day, against under 5% in January, March and June–September, the lowest months.
Between 9 am and noon
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Ringbum Millipede Muncher Ant sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 2 cities where we can rate Ringbum Millipede Muncher Ant sightings, Pretoria has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Durban (South Africa, under 5%).
Same family: Formicidae
The closest relatives of the Ringbum Millipede Muncher Ant that you can see in Pretoria (family Formicidae, Ants) are Natal Droptail Ant (about 10%), Large Pugnacious Ant (about 10%) and Small Spiny Sugar Ant (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Ringbum Millipede Muncher Ant is recorded against all the insects logged in Pretoria (7 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.
