Xenox tigrinus
In 3 days ~40% in a week ~70%
Xenox tigrinus, commonly known as the tiger bee fly, is a species of bee fly in the family Bombyliidae. It is native to eastern North America and is found across the eastern United States and southern Ontario. The species is recognized by its large size and distinctive dark wing markings. Its larvae are parasitoids of carpenter bees, particularly the eastern carpenter bee, Xylocopa virginica.
The species was described by Charles De Geer in 1776 as Nemotelus tigrinus and was later classified as Anthrax tigrinus. It is currently placed in the genus Xenox. The common name and specific epithet tigrinus refer to the species' tiger-like wing pattern.
Adults measure approximately 12–19 millimetres (0.47–0.75 in) in body length, excluding the wings, antennae, and legs. The body is predominantly black, while the transparent wings bear bold, irregular black markings that distinguish the species from other bee flies.
The tiger bee fly may initially be mistaken for a large bee because of its size, coloration, and hovering flight. Like other members of the order Diptera, however, it has only one functional pair of wings. Its bee-like appearance may discourage... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Great Smoky Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Shenandoah National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baltimore | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Philadelphia | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Detroit | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Toronto | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 5 | Washington | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Boston | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | New York City | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Chicago | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | Houston | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Tiger Bee Fly sighting in Detroit on a given day, based on 53 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 27th most-seen of the 268 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 40%, and over a week to about 70%, if each day is a fresh chance.
July and August
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Tiger Bee Fly in Detroit on a given day, against under 5% in October to June, the lowest months.
Between 11 am and 2 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Tiger Bee Fly sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
3rd of 9
Of the 9 cities where we can rate Tiger Bee Fly sightings, Detroit ranks 3rd at about 10%. The best odds are in Baltimore (United States, about 20%) and Philadelphia (United States, about 10%).
Same order: Diptera
The closest relatives of the Tiger Bee Fly that you can see in Detroit (order Diptera, Flies) are Common Picture-Winged Fly (about 10%), Margined Calligrapher (about 10%) and Clubbed Mydas Fly (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Tiger Bee Fly is recorded against all the insects logged in Detroit (53 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.
