Tapinoma sessile
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Tapinoma sessile is a species of small ant that goes by the common names odorous house ant, sugar ant, stink ant, and coconut ant. Their colonies are polydomous (consisting of multiple nests) and polygynous (containing multiple reproducing queens). Like many social insects, T. sessile employs complex foraging strategies, allocates food depending on environmental conditions, and engages in competition with other insects.
T. sessile can be found in a huge diversity of habitats, including within houses. They forage mainly for honeydew, which is produced by aphids and scale insects that are guarded and tended by the ants, as well as floral nectar and other sugary foods. They are common household pests and are attracted to sources of water and sweets.
Tapinoma sessile have long been suspected of exhibiting cloning behaviors similar to those observed in black crazy ants. This hypothesis has recently been confirmed through experimental evidence. In a notable experiment conducted by Marcello Ponzo, a colony consisting of seven queens and approximately 3,000 to 4,000 workers was kept in a controlled outworld and nest environment after being captured from the wild. Within a period of almost two months, the colony increased its number of queens from seven to ten under optimal conditions and a nutritious diet. This observation provides strong evidence supporting the theory of cloning in Tapinoma sessile.
Like other ants, T. sessile is eusocial. This is characterized by reproductive division of labor, cooperative care of the young, and the overlapping of multiple generations. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Shenandoah National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Great Bear Rainforest | 🇨🇦 Canada |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York City | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Washington | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Philadelphia | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Baltimore | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Chicago | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Portland | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Dallas | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Boston | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | Seattle | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Detroit | 🇺🇸 United States |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report an Odorous House Ant sighting in Toronto on a given day, based on 26 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 597th most-seen of the 1689 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 an Odorous House Ant in Toronto on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.
Between 3 and 6 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Odorous House Ant sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
14th of 18
Of the 18 cities where we can rate Odorous House Ant sightings, Toronto ranks 14th at under 5%. The best odds are in New York City (United States, about 10%), Washington (United States, about 10%) and Philadelphia (United States, about 10%).
Same family: Formicidae
The closest relatives of the Odorous House Ant that you can see in Toronto (family Formicidae, Ants) are Eastern Black Carpenter Ant (about 10%), American Winter 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 Odorous House Ant is recorded against all the insects logged in Toronto (26 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.
