Agriotes obscurus
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Agriotes obscurus, commonly known as dusky wireworm or obscure click beetle, is a species from the family Elateridae that is native and widely distributed in central and northern Europe. It is also present in parts of northern Asia and has been accidentally introduced into western Canada around 1900. It is now established in British Columbia (Canada) and Washington State (U.S.A.), with the risk of spreading to other parts of North America. The larvae (wireworms) are agricultural pests and attack the tubers, seeds and roots of numerous crops like potatoes, beets, cereals, sunflower, vegetables and ornamentals. The larvae also feed on the roots of some grasses and various other plants. For example, in Austria A. obscurus larvae often feed on the roots of common yarrow (Achillea millefolium). For minimizing the harmful effects of pesticides on the environment, an integrated approach is recommended for managing A. obscurus in agricultural fields. Primarily, this involves monitoring the pest populations with pheromone or larval traps. If damaging numbers are detected, non-pesticide management measures should be preferred like crop rotation or timing tillage and irrigation in a way so that the eggs and young larvae are desiccated in the top layer of the soil. The adult beetles are dark brown to black and about 8-10 mm long. They can be distinguished from other species of Agriotes by the morphology of the pronotum, the longitudinal ridges on the elytra and their coloration. The general color of the adult beetle is dark brown to black, but the elytra, legs and antennae are often reddish-brown. Most parts of the body are covered with greyish hair. The antennae are slightly longer than head and pronotum combined. In cooler regions, the life cycle is completed in four years, but it can be shorter under warmer conditions and may be as short as two years. Egg laying starts in spring and the larvae go through 10 or more instars, depending on the environmental conditions. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|
More parks will be added in future updates.
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Helsinki | 🇫🇮 Finland | |
| 2 | Saint Petersburg | 🇷🇺 Russia | |
| 3 | Moscow | 🇷🇺 Russia |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Dusky Wireworm sighting in Helsinki on a given day, based on 7 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 602nd most-seen of the 838 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.
May
In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Dusky Wireworm in Helsinki on a given day, against under 5% in June to April, the lowest months.
Yes
Of the 3 cities where we can rate Dusky Wireworm sightings, Helsinki has the highest daily chance: under 5%. Next come Saint Petersburg (Russia, under 5%) and Moscow (Russia, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Dusky Wireworm is recorded against all the insects logged in Helsinki (7 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.
