Formica pratensis
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Formica pratensis, the black-backed meadow ant, is a species of European red wood ant in the family Formicidae. F. pratensis can reach a length of 4.5–9.5 mm (0.18–0.37 in) in workers, slightly larger than in other species such as the more common southern wood ant F. rufa or F. polyctena. Queens reach a size of 9.5–11.3 mm (0.37–0.44 in). The thorax is mainly reddish, while the abdomen and the top of the head are black or dark brown. Generally, this large ant is much darker than other species of wood ants. Their whole bodies are covered with fine hairs. Two large deep black patch are present on the pronotum and mesonotum. The legs, antennae, and the well-developed mouthparts are reddish or dark brown.
Their nests are built from grasses, pine needles and straw, and can reach... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bavarian Forest National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 2 | Cévennes National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 3 | Pyrénées National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 4 | Sierra de Guadarrama National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Black-Backed Meadow Ant sighting in Pyrénées National Park on a given day, based on 6 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 1026th most-seen of the 1277 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.
January and October
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Black-Backed Meadow Ant in Pyrénées National Park on a given day, against under 5% in February–September and November–December, the lowest months.
Between 10 am and 1 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Black-Backed Meadow Ant sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 4 parks where we can rate Black-Backed Meadow Ant sightings, Pyrénées National Park ranks 3rd at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Bavarian Forest National Park (Germany, under 5%) and Cévennes National Park (France, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Black-Backed Meadow Ant is recorded against all the insects logged in Pyrénées 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.
