Chrysochus auratus
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~30%
Chrysochus auratus, more commonly known as the dogbane beetle, is a leaf beetle primarily found in the eastern United States and Canada. The beetle is approximately 8 to 11 mm in length, and possesses an oblong and convex shape. This beetle has two pairs of wings, one of which is a pair of copper colored elytra. The beetle is typically found to have a blue-green hue, and its color is often used to ward away potential predators.
A major aspect of this beetles' day to day life is sexual reproduction, as the beetles typically live a highly polygamous lifestyle. This beetle has also been found to participate in interbreeding with Chrysochus cobaltinus in certain geographic regions, resulting in hybrid offspring. Its diet consists primarily of dogbane (Apocynum), specifically Apocynum cannabinum and Apocynum androsaemifolium. C. auratus has developed several different adaptations that allow it to eat dogbane, such as its ability to process the toxins in dogbane leaves. Due to its diet of exclusively dogbane, C. auratus has been considered as a potential mechanism of biological control for agricultural purposes.
Chrysochus auratus is generally found in eastern North... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shenandoah National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Great Smoky Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Philadelphia | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Washington | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Detroit | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Chicago | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Minneapolis [Saint Paul] | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Edmonton | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 7 | New York City | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Toronto | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 9 | Baltimore | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Denver | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Dogbane Leaf Beetle sighting in Chicago on a given day, based on 116 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 144th most-seen of the 978 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
June and July
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Dogbane Leaf Beetle in Chicago on a given day, against under 5% in August to May, the lowest months.
Between 11 am and 2 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Dogbane Leaf Beetle sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 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 Dogbane Leaf Beetle sightings, Chicago ranks 4th at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Philadelphia (United States, about 10%), Washington (United States, about 10%) and Detroit (United States, about 10%).
Same family: Chrysomelidae
The closest relatives of the Dogbane Leaf Beetle that you can see in Chicago (family Chrysomelidae, Leaf Beetles) are Spotted Cucumber Beetle (about 10%) and Swamp Milkweed Leaf Beetle (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Dogbane Leaf Beetle is recorded against all the insects logged in Chicago (116 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.
