Hemisphaerota cyanea
In 3 days ~40% in a week ~70%
Hemisphaerota cyanea, also known as the palmetto tortoise beetle, is a species in the Chrysomelidae (leaf beetle) family. Beetles in this family are commonly characterized by their small size (usually less than 13 mm), relatively oval and convex shape, variable color but often shining/ iridescent bodies, small heads, and 5-jointed tarsi. Other names include the Florida tortoise beetle and iridescent blue chrysomelid beetle. It is native to the southeastern United States. The specific name (cyanea) means "dark blue", and the beetle earned its name as the palmetto tortoise beetle because it is the only tortoise beetle that feeds on palms.
The palmetto tortoise beetle is a small beetle growing 4.6–5.6 mm (0.18–0.22 in) in length. The coloring of the elytra (hardened outer wings) and pronotum (a prominent plate-like structure covering the thorax) is a dark, metallic blue or purple. The beetle has a hemispherical dome shape. The antennae are short and enlarged at the tips; they are orange in color except for the black basal segments. The tarsi (foot or contact surface of the leg) are large. Each of these tarsi holds around 10,000 adhesive bristles, and each bristle contains... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Big Cypress National Preserve | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Everglades National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miami | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Palmetto Tortoise Beetle sighting in Big Cypress National Preserve on a given day, based on 18 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 57th most-seen of the 262 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 40%, and over a week to about 70%, if each day is a fresh chance.
April, August and December–January
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Palmetto Tortoise Beetle in Big Cypress National Preserve on a given day, against under 5% in June–July and September, the lowest months.
Between 11 am and 2 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Palmetto Tortoise Beetle sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 3 parks where we can rate Palmetto Tortoise Beetle sightings, Big Cypress National Preserve has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Everglades National Park (United States, about 10%) and Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge (United States, about 10%).
Same family: Chrysomelidae
The closest relatives of the Palmetto Tortoise Beetle that you can see in Big Cypress National Preserve (family Chrysomelidae, Leaf Beetles) are Aethiopocassis scripta (about 20%), Neolochmaea dilatipennis (about 10%) and Argus Tortoise Beetle (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Palmetto Tortoise Beetle is recorded against all the insects logged in Big Cypress National Preserve (18 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.
