Pyrrhalta viburni
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Pyrrhalta viburni is a species of leaf beetle native to Europe and Asia, commonly known as the viburnum leaf beetle. It was first detected in North America in 1947 in Ontario, Canada. However, specimens had been collected in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia in 1924. In 1996 it was discovered in a park in New York, where native plantings of arrowwood (Viburnum dentatum complex) were found to be heavily damaged by larval feeding. The UK-based Royal Horticultural Society stated that its members reported Pyrrhalta viburni as the "number one pest species" in 2010.
The spined soldier bug, Podisus maculiventris is used and developed as a biological control agent against the beetle. Adult viburnum leaf beetles range from 4.5-6.5 mm in size, while mature larvae are roughly between 10 and 11 mm. It has a brown head, thorax and elytra with dense golden-grey hair on its dorsal surface.
Viburnum leaf beetles go through one new generation of offspring per year. Eggs are laid throughout the summer and into October. Female beetles burrow into the underside viburnum terminal twigs and create 'spaces' in pith tissue. Then they lay eggs in clusters of 5-6 and cover them... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|
More parks will be added in future updates.
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paris | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 2 | Liverpool | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 3 | Birmingham | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 4 | Helsinki | 🇫🇮 Finland | |
| 5 | Manchester | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 6 | London | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 7 | Boston | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Vienna | 🇦🇹 Austria | |
| 9 | New York City | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Toronto | 🇨🇦 Canada |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Viburnum Leaf Beetle sighting in Boston on a given day, based on 24 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 480th 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.
May and July
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Viburnum Leaf Beetle in Boston on a given day, against under 5% in June and August–April, the lowest months.
7th of 16
Of the 16 cities where we can rate Viburnum Leaf Beetle sightings, Boston ranks 7th at under 5%. The best odds are in Paris (France, about 10%), Liverpool (United Kingdom, about 10%) and Birmingham (United Kingdom, about 10%).
Same family: Chrysomelidae
The closest relatives of the Viburnum Leaf Beetle that you can see in Boston (family Chrysomelidae, Leaf Beetles) are Spotted Cucumber Beetle (about 10%), Willow Leaf Beetle (about 10%) and Golden Tortoise Beetle (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Viburnum Leaf Beetle is recorded against all the insects logged in Boston (24 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.
