Lema daturaphila
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Lema daturaphila, commonly known as the three-lined potato beetle, is a species of beetle in the family Chrysomelidae. It is originally from Central and North America, but has spread elsewhere. Adult L. daturaphila measure 7–8 mm in length and a bright orange-yellow in colour. Their elytra are marked with dark lines, one at either side and one along the suture between the wings. It is from this feature that their common name derives. The larvae are slug-like with black heads.
Three-lined potato beetles are found on plants in the family Solanaceae and are often agricultural pests to crops. They are commonly found on tomatillo (Physalis ixocarpa), which they can severely damage. They also feed on tomato and potato plants, but far less frequently. They can also infest sacred datura. The larvae hatch in late June or July, feed on their host plant, and are often found in groups. The larvae cover themselves with their own excrement, probably as a natural defence against predation.
L. daturaphila is similar in appearance to Lema trivittata and Lema bilineata, which are all closely related. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Table Mountain National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
More parks will be added in future updates.
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montreal | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 2 | Detroit | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Minneapolis [Saint Paul] | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Toronto | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 5 | Los Angeles | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Boston | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Brisbane | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 8 | Cape Town | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 9 | Sydney | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 10 | San Diego | 🇺🇸 United States |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Three-Lined Potato Beetle sighting in Cape Town on a given day, based on 7 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 243rd most-seen of the 311 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.
December
In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Three-Lined Potato Beetle in Cape Town on a given day, against under 5% in January to November, the lowest months. That is one of Cape Town's driest months, with about 20 mm of rain against 140 mm in June.
Between 1 and 4 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Three-Lined Potato Beetle sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 14 cities where we can rate Three-Lined Potato Beetle sightings, Cape Town ranks 8th at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Montreal (Canada, under 5%), Detroit (United States, under 5%) and Minneapolis [Saint Paul] (United States, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Three-Lined Potato Beetle is recorded against all the insects logged in Cape Town (7 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.
