Scarites subterraneus
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Scarites subterraneus, known generally as the big-headed ground beetle or (tunneling large) pedunculate ground beetle, is a species of ground beetle in the family Carabidae. It is found throughout the Caribbean, Central America, and North America.
These beetles are generally between 15.0 and 30.0 mm. They have large mandibles, which have two teeth, for hunting and consuming their prey. The antenna of the creature are not clubbed or elbowed, rather, segmented. The elytra of S. subterraneus is fairly striated (streaked). Their front femora are adapted to dig. Wings present. Forebody loosely attached to the body. Antennomeres are 8–10 moniliform.
Scarites subterraneus, as its scientific name suggests, spends much of its time burrowing and hiding under logs, rocks, soil and leaf litter. They are found in a variety of habitats, such as forests and meadows. They are frequently encountered in residential areas, urban and rural alike. Their environment is generally defined as coastal.
Scarites subterraneus is a carnivorous beetle. This is clear when looking at its large jaws, which it uses to hunt its prey. The specific diet of S. subterraneus is not... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shenandoah National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
More parks will be added in future updates.
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baltimore | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Washington | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Philadelphia | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Dallas | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Sacramento | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | New York City | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Chicago | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Denver | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | Minneapolis [Saint Paul] | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Toronto | 🇨🇦 Canada |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Big-Headed Ground Beetle sighting in Chicago on a given day, based on 33 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 310th most-seen of the 978 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
In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Big-Headed Ground Beetle in Chicago on a given day, against under 5% in June to April, the lowest months. That is one of Chicago's wettest months, with about 120 mm of rain against 50 mm in January.
Between 6 and 9 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Big-Headed Ground Beetle sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is mostly seen at night.
Among the best
Of the 14 cities where we can rate Big-Headed Ground Beetle sightings, Chicago ranks 7th at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Baltimore (United States, under 5%), Washington (United States, under 5%) and Philadelphia (United States, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Big-Headed Ground Beetle is recorded against all the insects logged in Chicago (33 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.
