Aphrophora alni
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
Aphrophora alni, the European alder spittle bug, is a species belonging to the family Aphrophoridae. This species is quite common and widespread. It is present in most of Europe, in the eastern Palearctic realm, in the Near East, and in North Africa. It is naturalized in North America.
These 'froghoppers' inhabit dry and moist habitats of lowlands and mountainous areas, forest edges, hedgerows, meadows, gardens and parks, from the lowlands up to mountains at an elevation up to 1,500 metres (4,900 ft) above sea level.
The adults of these large 'froghoppers' reach 9–10 millimetres (0.35–0.39 in) of length, the females are usually slightly larger than the males. The basic coloration of the body is usually brown. Their front wings wear two distinct clear patches on the margins. Head and pronotum have a median keel. The head has a pair of compound eyes and two simple eyes (ocelli). The legs are strongly developed and fit to jump. Tibiae of the rear pair of legs carry several spines.
They can be encountered from May through October on bushes and on several species of trees, especially willows (Salix species), birch (Betula... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tatra National Park | 🇸🇰 Slovakia | |
| 2 | Bavarian Forest National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 3 | Fertő-Hanság National Park | 🇭🇺 Hungary | |
| 4 | Cévennes National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 5 | Snowdonia National Park | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 6 | Pyrénées National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 7 | Wadden Sea National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Helsinki | 🇫🇮 Finland | |
| 2 | Kharkiv | 🇺🇦 Ukraine | |
| 3 | Leeds | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 4 | Brussels | 🇧🇪 Belgium | |
| 5 | Paris | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 6 | Copenhagen | 🇩🇰 Denmark | |
| 7 | Manchester | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 8 | Stockholm | 🇸🇪 Sweden | |
| 9 | Essen | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 10 | Birmingham | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a European Alder Spittlebug sighting in Kharkiv on a given day, based on 6 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 235th most-seen of the 289 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 40%, if each day is a fresh chance.
June and August
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a European Alder Spittlebug in Kharkiv on a given day, against under 5% in July and September–May, the lowest months.
Between 1 and 4 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most European Alder Spittlebug sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 23 cities where we can rate European Alder Spittlebug sightings, Kharkiv ranks 2nd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Helsinki (Finland, about 10%).
Same order: Hemiptera
The closest relatives of the European Alder Spittlebug that you can see in Kharkiv (order Hemiptera, True Bugs, Hoppers, Aphids, and allies) are European Firebug (about 40%), Dock Bug (about 30%) and Green Shield Bug (about 30%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the European Alder Spittlebug is recorded against all the insects logged in Kharkiv (6 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.
