Spiny Leaf Gall Wasp

Spiny Leaf Gall Wasp

Diplolepis polita

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Calgary

In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%

22 Verified sightings at Calgary
132 In all 11 parks From 2019 to 2026
June Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Spiny Leaf Gall Wasp

Diplolepis polita, known generally as the spiny leaf gall wasp, is a species of gall wasp in the family Cynipidae. It was first described by William Harris Ashmead in 1890. This species induces galls on several species of wild roses in North America, including Rosa arkansana and Rosa acicularis. The galls are formed on the leaves in spring and early summer and are spherical with short spikes. Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Elk Island National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~20%
2 Kluane National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~20%
3 Isle Royale National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
4 Pacific Rim National Park Reserve 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
5 Jasper National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
6 Great Bear Rainforest 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
7 Riding Mountain National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
8 Glacier National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
9 Acadia National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
10 Banff National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
11 Olympic National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Edmonton 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
2 Calgary 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
3 Seattle 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
4 Vancouver 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
5 San Francisco 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
6 Denver 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
7 Portland 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
8 Chicago 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
9 Los Angeles 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
10 Washington 🇺🇸 United States
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Spiny Leaf Gall Wasp in Calgary?

Rare

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Spiny Leaf Gall Wasp sighting in Calgary on a given day, based on 22 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 100th most-seen of the 256 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.

When is the best time to see a Spiny Leaf Gall Wasp in Calgary?

June

In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Spiny Leaf Gall Wasp in Calgary on a given day, against under 5% in July to May, the lowest months. That is one of Calgary's wettest months, with about 120 mm of rain against 15 mm in January.

What time of day is best to see a Spiny Leaf Gall Wasp?

Between 2 and 5 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Spiny Leaf Gall Wasp sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Calgary the best place to see a Spiny Leaf Gall Wasp?

2nd of 11

Of the 11 cities where we can rate Spiny Leaf Gall Wasp sightings, Calgary ranks 2nd at under 5%. The best odds are in Edmonton (Canada, about 10%).

Where does the Spiny Leaf Gall Wasp sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Spiny Leaf Gall Wasp is recorded against all the insects logged in Calgary (22 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.

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