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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 ~30% in a week ~60%
20 Verified sightings at Iguaçu National Park From 2019 to 2026
58 In all 4 parks
August 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 Iguaçu National Park
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 Iguaçu National Park
Before you go
What are the chances of seeing an Atta sexdens in Iguaçu National Park?
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report an Atta sexdens sighting in Iguaçu National Park on a given day, based on 20 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 92nd most-seen of the 279 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 60%, if each day is a fresh chance.
When is the best time to see an Atta sexdens in Iguaçu National Park?
May and July–August
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report an Atta sexdens in Iguaçu National Park on a given day, against under 5% in September, the lowest month.
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 Iguaçu National Park the best place to see an Atta sexdens?
2nd of 4
Of the 4 parks where we can rate Atta sexdens sightings, Iguaçu National Park ranks 2nd at about 10%. The best odds are in Iguazú National Park (Argentina, about 20%).
Which relatives of the Atta sexdens live in Iguaçu National Park?
Same family: Formicidae
The closest relatives of the Atta sexdens that you can see in Iguaçu National Park (family Formicidae, Ants) are Shimmering Golden Sugar Ant (about 30%), Labidus praedator (about 10%) and Dolichoderus bispinosus (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 Iguaçu National Park (20 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.
