Cystiphora sonchi
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~30%
Cystiphora sonchi is a species of gall midge in the family Cecidomyiidae. It is native to Eurasia, but has been introduced to North America as a biocontrol of sow thistles. The larvae cause small, circular galls on the leaves of the host plants. Several species of parasitic wasps use the larvae as hosts.
This species was first described as Cecidomyia sonchi by Swiss entomologist Johann Jacob Bremi-Wolf in 1847. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elk Island National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 2 | Wadden Sea National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Cystiphora sonchi sighting in Edmonton on a given day, based on 26 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 100th most-seen of the 390 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 to September
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Cystiphora sonchi in Edmonton on a given day, against under 5% in October to May, the lowest months. Those are among Edmonton's wettest months, with about 70 mm of rain a month against 20 mm in February.
Between 2 and 5 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Cystiphora sonchi sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 6 cities where we can rate Cystiphora sonchi sightings, Edmonton ranks 2nd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Athens (Greece, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Cystiphora sonchi is recorded against all the insects logged in Edmonton (26 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.
