Metoecus paradoxus
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Metoecus paradoxus, also known as the wasp nest beetle and eyelash bug, is a species of Metoecus in the family Ripiphoridae. M. paradoxus measures approximately 10 mm in length. It has a dark head and body and paler, orange-coloured pointed elytra that do not completely cover the abdomen. It has feathery antennae.
M. paradoxus is primarily a parasitoid of Vespula vulgaris (the common wasp). Adult females lay eggs in decaying wood in autumn, which hatch in spring or summer. The first instar triungulin clings to a V. vulgaris worker to be transported to the nest. Once at the nest, the larva parasitises a wasp larva – once the larva has closed the cell, the M. paradoxus larva consumes the host and pupates in its place. Adults emerge from late July to early October. The development from larva to adult takes less than one month. Adult beetles live for between 6 and 12 days and probably do not feed.
Parasites employ various mechanisms, including chemical mimicry and chemical camouflage, to mimic the host colony's odor. When the M. paradoxus beetle penetrates the V. vulgaris host, it is vital that it avoids being detected... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|
More parks will be added in future updates.
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Birmingham | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 2 | Moscow | 🇷🇺 Russia |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Wasp Nest Beetle sighting in Birmingham on a given day, based on 5 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 745th most-seen of the 811 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.
September
In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Wasp Nest Beetle in Birmingham on a given day, against under 5% in October to August, the lowest months.
Yes
Of the 2 cities where we can rate Wasp Nest Beetle sightings, Birmingham has the highest daily chance: under 5%. Next come Moscow (Russia, under 5%).
Same order: Coleoptera
The closest relatives of the Wasp Nest Beetle that you can see in Birmingham (order Coleoptera, Beetles) are Asian Lady Beetle (about 50%), Seven-Spotted Lady Beetle (about 50%) and Fourteen-Spotted Lady Beetle (about 30%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Wasp Nest Beetle is recorded against all the insects logged in Birmingham (5 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.
