Archytas apicifer
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Archytas apicifer is a medium to large sized (approximately 10-15 mm) Nearctic tachinid fly. The species name was authored by the German entomologist Johann Friedrich Jaennicke (1867) and presumably named after the Greek classical philosopher and mathematician Archytas. The larvae are parasites of several caterpillar species.
The family Tachinidae is considered the second-largest in terms of number of species among all the diverse families of Diptera (two-winged true flies). There are about 10,000 species worldwide. Many tachinid flies are economically important parasites of other arthropods. Several genera are robust and brightly patterned and many possess conspicuous bristles on the head or on the 4th to 6th abdominal segments.
Archytas apicifer adults feed on flower nectar, and are also known to be pollinators of some flowers. Like many other tachinid flies, A. apicifer larvae are internal parasitoids of the Forest tent caterpillars and fall webworms in addition to the tomato fruitworm, corn earworm, and cutworms.
Canada, United States, Dominican Republic, Saint Vincent, El Salvador, Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|
More parks will be added in future updates.
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dallas | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Mexico City | 🇲🇽 México | |
| 3 | Chicago | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | San Diego | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | San Antonio | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Austin | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Los Angeles | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Houston | 🇺🇸 United States |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report an Archytas apicifer sighting in Dallas on a given day, based on 41 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 448th most-seen of the 1412 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.
April and November
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report an Archytas apicifer in Dallas on a given day, against under 5% in May–October and December–March, the lowest months.
Yes
Of the 8 cities where we can rate Archytas apicifer sightings, Dallas has the highest daily chance: under 5%. Next come Mexico City (México, under 5%) and Chicago (United States, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Archytas apicifer is recorded against all the insects logged in Dallas (41 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.
