Cyclocephala lurida
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
Cyclocephala lurida, the southern masked chafer, is a species of beetle in the family Scarabaeidae which is native to the southeastern United States. It is a brown beetle with a black head, with an adult length of 10 to 14 mm (0.4 to 0.6 in). The adult beetles cause no harm, but the eggs are laid underground and the developing larvae feed on grass roots and can kill turf under dry conditions.
Female southern masked chafer beetles emerge from the soil soon after sunset in June and July, remaining on the surface of the ground or climbing up grasses. At much the same time, males emerge and make zig-zag flights low over the ground. The females emit a pheromone, a volatile substance that acts as an attractant to males. When a male has homed in on a female, mating takes place after which the female burrows back into the soil. Mated females lay their eggs underground. The growing larvae feed on grass roots until late spring the following year when they pupate, the adults emerging about a fortnight later. There is a single generation each year, the adults being active for a few weeks.
By 11pm during the breeding season, unmated females and all males move underground, and it... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shenandoah National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
More parks will be added in future updates.
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sacramento | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Baltimore | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Chicago | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Mesa | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Washington | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Detroit | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Austin | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Houston | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | Los Angeles | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Miami | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Southern Masked Chafer sighting in Austin on a given day, based on 62 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 422nd most-seen of the 1624 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
April–June, August and October–November
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Southern Masked Chafer in Austin on a given day, against under 5% in July, September and December–March, the lowest months.
Between 8 and 11 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Southern Masked Chafer sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is mostly seen at night.
Among the best
Of the 21 cities where we can rate Southern Masked Chafer sightings, Austin ranks 7th at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Sacramento (United States, about 10%), Baltimore (United States, about 10%) and Chicago (United States, about 10%).
Same family: Scarabaeidae
The closest relatives of the Southern Masked Chafer that you can see in Austin (family Scarabaeidae, Scarabs) are Kern's Flower Scarab (about 20%), Common Green June Beetle (about 10%) and Aloeus Ox Beetle (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Southern Masked Chafer is recorded against all the insects logged in Austin (62 verified sightings), 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.
