Messor capitatus
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
Messor capitatus is an ant species part of the genus Messor. This genus includes about 40 specialized species that are found in dry areas of Mediterranean countries such as Africa, Southern Europe, and Asia. Messor capitatus are known as an Old World species because they release trail pheromones from the Dufour gland instead of from poison glands. Messor capitatus are known as individual foragers that collect food independently of one another but sometimes will also use group foraging to form irregular, broad columns. Messor capitatus main food source is seeds but they also will eat remains of plants and animals.
Messor capitatus are seed-harvesting ants that when they find a food source will go back to the nest to recruit other foragers if the food is too large for them to carry. The ants will lay a trail of chemicals from the food to the nest using their gasters. Once they are inside the nest they will perform a motor display that includes running, body vibrations, contact with nestmates, and food transmission. The nestmates will then get excited and follow the trail laid by the scout to the food source and if they want to recruit more to the patch then... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cévennes National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 2 | Sierra de Guadarrama National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Messor capitatus sighting in Tel Aviv on a given day, based on 6 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 240th most-seen of the 264 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.
February, April, June and September
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Messor capitatus in Tel Aviv on a given day, against under 5% in March, May, July–August and October–January, the lowest months.
Between 1 and 4 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Messor capitatus 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 Messor capitatus sightings, Tel Aviv ranks 2nd at under 5%. The best odds are in Rome (Italy, about 10%).
Same family: Formicidae
The closest relatives of the Messor capitatus that you can see in Tel Aviv (family Formicidae, Ants) are Longhorn Crazy Ant (about 10%), Indian Big-Headed Ant (about 10%) and Trichomyrmex mayri (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Messor capitatus is recorded against all the insects logged in Tel Aviv (6 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.
