Invertebrates
Harvester Ant
Pogonomyrmex · also called harvester ants
A bare, perfectly circular patch of cleared ground in the desert marks the entrance to a harvester ant colony, a warning sign experienced hikers know to respect, given a sting ranked among the most painful of any insect found in North America.
Overview
The harvester ant, genus Pogonomyrmex, is a seed-collecting ant native to desert and grassland habitat across a broad range of the western and southwestern United States and Mexico. Its genuinely painful sting and habit of maintaining underground seed granaries make it one of the more ecologically significant and physically formidable ants in arid North America.
A granary defended by one of the worst stings around
Between its carefully stockpiled underground seed stores and a sting potent enough to rank among the most painful of any North American insect, the harvester ant has built a food security system that few animals would risk trying to raid.
Status
Least Concern — widespread and common across suitable desert and grassland habitat throughout the western and southwestern United States and Mexico.
Harvester Ant: common questions
How painful is a harvester ant sting?
A harvester ant delivers a sting ranked near the top of pain scales specifically designed to measure and compare insect sting pain, making it one of the more genuinely painful stinging insects found in North America, considerably worse than the sting of many more familiar ant species.
Why does a harvester ant colony clear the ground around its entrance?
A harvester ant colony clears vegetation from a bare, roughly circular patch of ground around its nest entrance, a behaviour that may help regulate nest temperature, ease traffic in and out of the colony, and make an active nest easy to spot from a distance.
What does a harvester ant do with the seeds it collects?
A harvester ant colony collects seeds from the surrounding area and stores them in dedicated underground chambers functioning much like a granary, providing a stable food supply that can sustain the colony through periods when fresh seeds are scarce.
Where do harvester ants live?
The harvester ant is native to desert and grassland habitat across a broad range of the western and southwestern United States and Mexico, typically maintaining long-lived colonies in the same location for many years.