Chalcosyrphus piger
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Chalcosyrphus (Xylotomima) piger (Fabricius, 1794), the short-haired leafwalker, is an uncommon species of syrphid fly found throughout North America and Europe. Hoverflies get their names from the ability to remain nearly motionless while in flight. The adults are also known as flower flies, for they are commonly found around and on flowers, from which they get both energy-giving nectar and protein-rich pollen. Larvae have been identified from sappy hollows from Larix and Pinus.
Europe, Canada, United States.(see distribution map) Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
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More parks will be added in future updates.
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Short-Haired Leafwalker sighting in Boston on a given day, based on 21 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 493rd most-seen of the 1200 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 Short-Haired Leafwalker in Boston on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.
Yes
Of the 2 cities where we can rate Short-Haired Leafwalker sightings, Boston has the highest daily chance: under 5%. Next come Toronto (Canada, under 5%).
Same family: Syrphidae
The closest relatives of the Short-Haired Leafwalker that you can see in Boston (family Syrphidae, Hover Flies) are Margined Calligrapher (about 20%), Eastern Calligrapher (about 20%) and Transverse-Banded Flower Fly (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Short-Haired Leafwalker is recorded against all the insects logged in Boston (21 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.
