Phymata americana
Silhouette: Richard J. Harris · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Phymata americana, known as the ambush bug, is a Phymatinae, or ambush bug in the family Reduviidae. It can be found on the flowers of various plants in Central America and North America, where it waits to prey on other insects.
Data sources: i = ITIS, c = Catalogue of Life, g = GBIF, b = Bugguide.net Phymata americana are found in open fields of flowering plants near rural forest edges, farms, and urban areas. Although P. americana can be found on many species of flowering plants, they tend to prefer either yellow or blue flowers over red or white flowers. Variation in flower color choice may reflect individual variation in P. americana color pattern, where individuals prefer flowers which match their own body color. This habitat-matching behavior may confer benefits for increased camouflage and prey capture ability. However, increased camouflage can also be achieved... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|
More parks will be added in future updates.
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Denver | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Montreal | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 3 | Minneapolis [Saint Paul] | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Salt Lake City | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Houston | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Toronto | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 7 | Dallas | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Chicago | 🇺🇸 United States |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Jagged Ambush Bug sighting in Houston on a given day, based on 23 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 475th most-seen of the 1057 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.
Any time of year
In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Jagged Ambush Bug in Houston on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.
5th of 8
Of the 8 cities where we can rate Jagged Ambush Bug sightings, Houston ranks 5th at under 5%. The best odds are in Denver (United States, about 10%), Montreal (Canada, about 10%) and Minneapolis [Saint Paul] (United States, about 10%).
Same family: Reduviidae
The closest relatives of the Jagged Ambush Bug that you can see in Houston (family Reduviidae, Assassin Bugs) are North American Wheel Bug (about 10%) and Milkweed Assassin Bug (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Jagged Ambush Bug is recorded against all the insects logged in Houston (23 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.
