Phloeodes diabolicus
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~60%
The diabolical ironclad beetle (Phloeodes diabolicus), formerly classified as Nosoderma diabolicum, is a beetle in the Phloeodes genus. It is native to the California floristic province of California and Baja California, where it is believed to eat fungi growing under rotting tree bark. It is flightless and has a remarkable adult lifespan of eight years, compared to the weeks or months of most adult beetles.
This beetle is noted for its durability. Its thick, densely layered, interlocking elytra, connected to the ventral cuticle by complex lateral support structures, are able to support a maximum force of 149 newtons, or over 15 kilograms or 33.069 lbs.
The species was named for and initially categorized taxonomically by John LeConte. When this species was first identified in the 1800s, it was classified as a member of the Nosoderma genus, as were all of what were later re-classified as Phloeodes. The genus Noserus was also described by LeCont during the 1800s, but was later made synonymous with Phloeodes in 1999, as it was determined that P. diabolicus and P. plicatus (then Nosoderma plicatus), both key species in their genera, belong in the same genus. The entire genus... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Channel Islands National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | San Diego | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Sacramento | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Diabolical Ironclad Beetle sighting in Channel Islands National Park on a given day, based on 19 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 41st most-seen of the 131 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 60%, if each day is a fresh chance.
March, June and August
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Diabolical Ironclad Beetle in Channel Islands National Park on a given day, against under 5% in September to February, the lowest months.
Between 4 and 7 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Diabolical Ironclad Beetle sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Diabolical Ironclad Beetle sightings, Channel Islands National Park has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks (United States, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Diabolical Ironclad Beetle is recorded against all the insects logged in Channel Islands National Park (19 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.
