Harpalus pensylvanicus
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Harpalus pensylvanicus, the Pennsylvania ground beetle or Pennsylvania dingy ground beetle, is a species of ground beetle in the subfamily Harpalinae. It is found throughout North America. It was described by Degeer in 1774.
The adults of the species are shiny black on the top, reddish brown underneath, and the elytra have lines. The larvae are black with a reddish head and the body is tapered with two long cerci. The species' food includes the seeds of ragweed and assorted grasses. They are important weed seed predators. They prefer small seeds such as lamb's quarter and waterhemp seeds. They favor high hayfields opposed to low maize fields. The species occasionally damages ripening strawberries which is probably how it gets water. It is attracted to lights.
Harpalus pensylvanicus is a significant weed seed predator in agricultural fields. Its consumption of seeds is strongly influenced by water absorption, as the beetle consumes a greater mass of water-absorbed seeds than dry seeds. It can locate these seeds through smell, responding to the high release of carbon dioxide and ethylene that occurs during the initial stages of germination.
The beetle has... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|
More parks will be added in future updates.
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montreal | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 2 | Philadelphia | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Dallas | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Washington | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Toronto | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 6 | Minneapolis [Saint Paul] | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Chicago | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | New York City | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | Boston | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Los Angeles | 🇺🇸 United States |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Pennsylvania Dingy Ground Beetle sighting in Chicago on a given day, based on 10 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 637th 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.
Any time of year
In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Pennsylvania Dingy Ground Beetle in Chicago on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.
Among the best
Of the 10 cities where we can rate Pennsylvania Dingy Ground Beetle sightings, Chicago ranks 7th at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Montreal (Canada, under 5%), Philadelphia (United States, under 5%) and Dallas (United States, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Pennsylvania Dingy Ground Beetle is recorded against all the insects logged in Chicago (10 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.
