Spilomyia liturata
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Spilomyia liturata (Williston, 1882), the Rocky Mountain Hornet Fly, is an uncommon species of syrphid fly. This species is found in western North America along the Rocky Mountains. Hoverflies get their names from the ability to remain nearly motionless while in flight. The adults are also known as flower flies for they are commonly found around and on flowers, from which they get both energy-giving nectar and protein-rich pollen. The larvae are known as the short-tailed larvae, suited for moist areas such as rot holes of trees. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|
More parks will be added in future updates.
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Denver | 🇺🇸 United States |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Rocky Mountain Hornet Fly sighting in Denver on a given day, based on 8 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 317th most-seen of the 461 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.
September
In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Rocky Mountain Hornet Fly in Denver on a given day, against under 5% in October to August, the lowest months.
Only Denver, in our data
Denver is the only city on Wallace's Line with enough records to rate Rocky Mountain Hornet Fly sightings: under 5% of wildlife watchers there report one on a given day.
Same family: Syrphidae
The closest relatives of the Rocky Mountain Hornet Fly that you can see in Denver (family Syrphidae, Hover Flies) are Eurasian Drone Fly (about 10%), Margined Calligrapher (about 10%) and Large-Tailed Aphideater (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Rocky Mountain Hornet Fly is recorded against all the insects logged in Denver (8 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.
