Bug card No. 1115 of 1,500

Red harvester ant

Pogonomyrmex barbatus

Eats: Plants AntsDeserts and dry places6 legs

The red harvester ant is a big red ant that collects seeds, just like a farmer gathering the harvest. It lives in dry places in the southwest of the United States. Around its nest there is a bare patch of ground with little pebbles, so its home is easy to spot.

Lives in

The southwestern United States, in dry, open places

Length

5 to 7 mm (0.2 to 0.28 in)

Top speed

about 0.35 km/h (0.22 mph)

On foot, estimate

Can it hurt you?

Can bite or sting

Watch out! Read all about it on Venom Wiki →

What does it eat?

It mostly eats seeds, which it grinds up with its strong jaws and stores in an underground pantry. It also collects dead insects.

Photo of Red harvester ant — Picture by AntWeb.org. CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

How big is it?

How long is it?

small enough to sit on your fingernailcould run across a dinner table in 10 seconds

How big is Red harvester ant compared to YOU?

Just maths in your browser. Nothing is saved or sent anywhere.

How fast is it?

A garden snail about 0.05 km/h (0.03 mph)

A tortoise about 0.3 km/h (0.19 mph)

Red harvester ant about 0.35 km/h (0.22 mph)

A person walking about 5 km/h (3.1 mph)

cool stuff

Fun facts

Its tunnels can go 2.5 metres deep under the ground.

It can store seeds in its nest for months or even years.

It gets most of its water from the fat inside the seeds it eats.

Scout ants go out first every morning to check if it is safe to look for food.

By carrying seeds around, it helps plants spread to new places.

you asked

Most asked questions about Red harvester ant

?What do red harvester ants eat?

Mostly seeds, which they store underground. They also collect dead insects.

?How can you find a red harvester ant nest?

Look for a flat, bare patch of ground with small pebbles around a hole, and ant trails leading away like arms.

Myth buster

Myth: Red harvester ants are fire ants.

Truth: No. People often mix them up, but harvester ants are not close relatives of fire ants.

For bug experts

Scientific name: Pogonomyrmex barbatus
Group: Ants
Family: Formicidae
Classification: Insecta > Hymenoptera > Formicidae
Lives on: North America
Also known as: Red ant

Where the facts come from

Red harvester ant (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0): what it looks like, where it lives, what it eats, sizes and fun facts, retold in simple words.
Picture by AntWeb.org. CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons. The round sticker of this bug is cut from the same picture.

If we got something wrong, sorry, we are bug fans, not a science journal. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.