Species Insects & ArthropodsRed Harvester Ant

Red Harvester Ant

Pogonomyrmex barbatus

CommonInsect & Arthropod
Illustration of Red Harvester Ant (Pogonomyrmex barbatus)
Safety note: Sting is painful and potent — do not disturb nest.

The Red Harvester Ant is the famed 'ant' of childhood ant farms and is one of the most studied ants in behavioral science due to its remarkably organized seed-harvesting activities and complex colony communication. Large, cleared nest mounds surrounded by scattered seeds are characteristic. Workers deliver among the most painful stings of any insect.

Habitat
Arid grasslands, deserts, and open scrublands of the Southwest
Diet
Adults and larvae: seeds of grasses and wildflowers
How common
Common

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