Pogonomyrmex rugosus
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~50%
Pogonomyrmex rugosus, the desert harvester ant or rough harvester ant, is a species of harvester ant in the subfamily Myrmicinae which is found in the southwestern United States,and Northern Mexico. Pogonomyrmex rugosus can be found in open, sandy, and hot areas. They will typically forage during the day, bringing seeds back to the colony and scavenging dead insects they may find. Nests will often have a small circle around the entrance which has been cleared of foliage, making them easily recognizable.
P. Rugosus has two distinct color variants. P. Rugosus found in southwestern deserts such as in California and Arizona, will feature a red and black color scheme, where as those found in more central parts of the United States and Mexico will be fully black.
Pogonomyrmex Rugosus will typically perform their nuptial flights from July–September, during hot daytime conditions of 80–95°F and during elevated humidity, usually after rain the previous day. P. rugosus colonies can grow to have up to 15,000 workers.
P. rugosus workers use group foraging tactics that involve the creation of... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joshua Tree National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Big Bend National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Zion National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Death Valley National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Saguaro National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ciudad Juárez | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 2 | Las Vegas | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Mesa | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Phoenix | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | San Diego | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Los Angeles | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Rough Harvester Ant sighting in Death Valley National Park on a given day, based on 6 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 71st most-seen of the 108 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
October
In that month about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Rough Harvester Ant in Death Valley National Park on a given day, against under 5% in April, June–September and November–February, the lowest months.
Between 10 am and 1 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Rough Harvester 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.
4th of 5
Of the 5 parks where we can rate Rough Harvester Ant sightings, Death Valley National Park ranks 4th at about 10%. The best odds are in Joshua Tree National Park (United States, about 20%), Big Bend National Park (United States, about 20%) and Zion National Park (United States, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Rough Harvester Ant is recorded against all the insects logged in Death Valley National Park (6 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.
