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Atta sexdens
Atta sexdens
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumArthropoda (Arthropods)
- ClassInsecta (Insects)
- OrderHymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Wasps, and Sawflies)
- FamilyFormicidae (Ants)
- GenusAtta
- SpeciesAtta sexdens
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
8 Verified sightings at Rio de Janeiro
58 In all 4 parks From 2019 to 2026
May Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted
About the Atta sexdens
Atta sexdens is a species of leafcutter ant belonging to the tribe Attini, native to America, from the southern United States (Texas) to northern Argentina. They are absent from Chile. They cut leaves to provide a substrate for the fungus farms which are their principal source of food. Their societies are among the most complex found in social insects. A. sexdens is an ecologically important species, but also an agricultural pest. Other Atta species, such as Atta texana, Atta cephalotes and others, have similar behavior and ecology.
A. sexdens colonies are primarily subterranean with a mound of excavated material on the surface. The diameter of the colony may reach 10 m with a depth of 6 m. The colonies contain up to 2000 chambers with a combined volume of more than 20 m3. The two basic types of chambers are fungus farms and waste chambers. The farms contain the fungal culture which sustains the colony and hosts larvae and pupae. The waste chambers are located at the rim of the colony and are significantly larger. They are used to dispose used fungal culture and dead ants. A mature colony contains 5–8 million workers.
The colony often forms... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Atta sexdens in Rio de Janeiro
LIVEiNaturalistGlobal Distribution
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iguazú National Park | 🇦🇷 Argentina | |
| 2 | Iguaçu National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 3 | Soberanía National Park | 🇵🇦 Panama | |
| 4 | Tijuca National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil |
Cities Where Found
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brasilia | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 2 | Belo Horizonte | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 3 | Rio de Janeiro | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 4 | Panama City | 🇵🇦 Panama | |
| 5 | São Paulo | 🇧🇷 Brazil |
Closest Relatives at Rio de Janeiro
Before you go
What are the chances of seeing an Atta sexdens in Rio de Janeiro?
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report an Atta sexdens sighting in Rio de Janeiro on a given day, based on 8 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 97th most-seen of the 169 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 sexdens in Rio de Janeiro?
May–June and August–October
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report an Atta sexdens in Rio de Janeiro on a given day, against under 5% in July and November–April, the lowest months. Those are among Rio de Janeiro's driest months, with about 70 mm of rain a month against 230 mm in December.
What time of day is best to see an Atta sexdens?
Between 3 and 6 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Atta sexdens sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Is Rio de Janeiro the best place to see an Atta sexdens?
3rd of 5
Of the 5 cities where we can rate Atta sexdens sightings, Rio de Janeiro ranks 3rd at under 5%. The best odds are in Brasilia (Brazil, about 10%) and Belo Horizonte (Brazil, about 10%).
Which relatives of the Atta sexdens live in Rio de Janeiro?
Same family: Formicidae
The closest relatives of the Atta sexdens that you can see in Rio de Janeiro (family Formicidae, Ants) are Shimmering Golden Sugar Ant (about 20%) and Longhorn Crazy Ant (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
Where does the Atta sexdens sighting chance come from?
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Atta sexdens is recorded against all the insects logged in Rio de Janeiro (8 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.
