Pachycondyla chinensis
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~30%
Brachyponera chinensis, the Asian needle ant, is a stinging ponerine ant native to areas of Japan and mainland Asia. It was known as Pachycondyla chinensis, a name used in many scientific publications until 2014. The Asian needle ant was introduced to the United States in the 1930s, where it is considered an adventive and possibly invasive species. Since then, the Asian needle ant and the Argentine ant (Linepithema humile) have been competing for territory in the U.S. Brachyponera chinensis is found primarily in the American South, where the ants prefer to nest beneath or near hardwood trees. They are also found along the U.S. East Coast, from Florida to Massachusetts. The range of Asian needle ant then extends westward to Kentucky, Tennessee, and Arkansas. Sightings have also been confirmed in Washington and Wisconsin, where outlier populations have been established. This invasive species is of growing concern due to ecological impacts on biodiversity and medical risks to human health, via sting-induced anaphylaxis.
The native range of Brachyponera chinensis includes Japan, China, North and South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, and Nepal. The Asian needle... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Great Smoky Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
More parks will be added in future updates.
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seoul | 🇰🇷 South Korea | |
| 2 | Washington | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Beijing | 🇨🇳 China | |
| 4 | Baltimore | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Tokyo | 🇯🇵 Japan | |
| 6 | Hong Kong | 🇨🇳 China | |
| 7 | New York City | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Pachycondyla chinensis sighting in Washington on a given day, based on 157 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 215th most-seen of the 1807 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–March, July and September–December
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Pachycondyla chinensis in Washington on a given day, against under 5% in January, April–June and August, the lowest months.
Between 11 am and 2 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Pachycondyla chinensis sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 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 7 cities where we can rate Pachycondyla chinensis sightings, Washington ranks 2nd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Seoul (South Korea, about 10%).
Same family: Formicidae
The closest relatives of the Pachycondyla chinensis that you can see in Washington (family Formicidae, Ants) are Chestnut Carpenter Ant (about 10%), Ferruginous Carpenter Ant (about 10%) and Eastern Black Carpenter Ant (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Pachycondyla chinensis is recorded against all the insects logged in Washington (157 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.
