Pogonomyrmex maricopa, the Maricopa harvester ant, is one of the most common species of harvester ant found in the U.S. state of Arizona, but it is also known from California, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Texas and Utah, and the Mexican states of Baja California, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Sinaloa and Sonora. Its venom is believed to be the most toxic insect venom in the world.
From Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Is it venomous or poisonous?
Venomous. The note covers its whole genus. Harvester ants; potent stings Never eat, touch or handle a wild plant, mushroom or animal on the strength of an identification; ask someone qualified.
Easily confused with
- Pogonomyrmex subnitidus — venomous
- Pogonomyrmex californicus — venomous
- Pogonomyrmex desertorum — venomous
- Pogonomyrmex comanche — venomous
- Pogonomyrmex salinus — venomous
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Insecta
- Order
- Hymenoptera
- Family
- Formicidae
- Genus
- Pogonomyrmex
- Species
- Pogonomyrmex maricopa
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