Bruchidius villosus
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Bruchidius villosus is a species of bean weevil known by the common names broom seed beetle and Scotch broom bruchid. This beetle is used as an agent of biological pest control against the noxious weed known as Scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius).
This is a dark gray weevil about two millimeters long. The female lays about ten eggs on the seed pod of the plant. The larva hatches from the egg at the point it is attached to the pod and burrows into the pod, where it develops and feeds on the seeds. The larva is one to two millimeters long and gelatinous white. It pupates in the seed coat. When the seed pod ripens and splits open, adult weevils emerge.
This beetle is native to Europe. It was introduced to the United States by accident but was found to drastically reduce seed production in Scotch broom, its host plant. It became one of the newest insects to be deliberately released for the control of the plant in the 1990s. Its viability as a biocontrol agent is under study. It is used less often in New Zealand because it was found to attack plants other than its target when introduced there. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
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More parks will be added in future updates.
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Broom Seed Beetle sighting in London on a given day, based on 24 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 705th most-seen of the 1504 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 Broom Seed Beetle in London on a given day, against under 5% in June to April, the lowest months.
Yes
Of the 4 cities where we can rate Broom Seed Beetle sightings, London has the highest daily chance: under 5%. Next come Vancouver (Canada, under 5%) and Munich (Germany, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Broom Seed Beetle is recorded against all the insects logged in London (24 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.
