Hyperaspis trifurcata
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Hyperaspis trifurcata, also known as the trident lady beetle, is a species of lady beetle in the family Coccinellidae. It is found in North America, where it has been recorded from Mexico (Durango), Arizona and Texas. It has been deliberately introduced as a biological control agent in Israel, targeting invasive populations of Dactylopius opuntiae, and has recently been recorded in Jordan. Both larvae and adults are specialist predators of the cochineal scale (Dactylopius spp.), which feed on prickly pear cacti of the genus Opuntia. The larval and pupal stages are parasitized by the encyrtid wasp Homalotylus cockerelli. Females lay their eggs in the wax secreted by cochineal scales to conceal them from parasites, where the larvae continue to shelter after hatching. The gut microbiome of H. trifurcata has been shown to contain bacteria which may aid in the digestion of carminic acid, a toxic substance found in the cochineal scale's hemolymph. The beetles also appropriate carminic acid to deter predation by ants, lending the larvae a red color.
Adults reach a length of about 2.3–3 mm. The pronotum is black with a reddish yellow lateral border. The elytra are black with... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|
More parks will be added in future updates.
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mexico City | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 2 | San Antonio | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Austin | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Los Angeles | 🇺🇸 United States |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Trident Lady Beetle sighting in Austin on a given day, based on 8 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 1254th 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 20%, if each day is a fresh chance.
Any time of year
In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Trident Lady Beetle in Austin on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.
Among the best
Of the 4 cities where we can rate Trident Lady Beetle sightings, Austin ranks 3rd at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Mexico City (México, under 5%) and San Antonio (United States, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Trident Lady Beetle is recorded against all the insects logged in Austin (8 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.
