Acanthocephala declivis
In 3 days ~40% in a week ~70%
Acanthocephala declivis, the giant leaf-footed bug, is a species of North American true bug with a range from the southern United States to El Salvador and some Caribbean islands. It is the largest of this genus within this range, generally growing to be 28 to 34 mm (1.1 to 1.3 in) long. It can be distinguished from similar species by its much more broadly expanding pronotum, which extends much further than the abdomen, and the blunt tubercles on the midline of the anterior pronotal lobe, which is not present in other Acantla species within its range.
One specific characteristic about Acanthocephala declivis is that sexual competition by males pertaining to this species depends on their hind leg dimorphism. They use their legs to squeeze other males when competing for sexual partners. The length and diameter of the large tooth and femur of their hind legs are noticeably larger than the rest of their bodies, proportionally speaking. Females, on the other hand, don’t have these exceptionally large hind legs, although they also use them for mating aggression. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Congaree National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Big Cypress National Preserve | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Great Smoky Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Shenandoah National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Houston | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Austin | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Dallas | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | San Antonio | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Orlando | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Baltimore | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Washington | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Giant Leaf-Footed Bug sighting in Houston on a given day, based on 548 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 14th most-seen of the 1057 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.
December
In that month about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Giant Leaf-Footed Bug in Houston on a given day, against about 10% in February to October, the lowest months.
Between noon and 3 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Giant Leaf-Footed Bug sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 7 cities where we can rate Giant Leaf-Footed Bug sightings, Houston has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Austin (United States, about 10%) and Dallas (United States, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Giant Leaf-Footed Bug is recorded against all the insects logged in Houston (548 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.
