Exapion ulicis
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
Exapion ulicis (formerly Apion ulicis) is a species of straight-snouted weevil known by the general common name Gorse Seed Weevil. It is used as an agent of biological pest control against Common Gorse (Ulex europaeus), which is classified as a noxious weed in some countries.
The adult weevil is light gray in color with a long snout half as long as its body. It is 2 to 3 millimeters long in total. The adult feeds on gorse by digging into the soft tissue of the stem and spines with its snout, creating characteristic round holes as evidence. The larva does more damage, however. It emerges from its egg inside the gorse seed pod and feeds on the seeds for six to eight weeks. The larva then pupates for about two months.
This weevil is native to western Europe. It was first introduced to New Zealand in 1931 and to California as an agent of gorse control in the 1950s. It is currently established in gorse populations in the western United States and in Hawaii. Destruction of seeds may reduce the spread of gorse, which is the main method of biological control by this weevil. It does not eliminate existing stands of the plant, since the adults do not do enough damage to destroy or significantly weaken whole plants. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|
More parks will be added in future updates.
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Birmingham | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 2 | London | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 3 | Auckland | 🇳🇿 New Zealand |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Gorse Seed Weevil sighting in London on a given day, based on 44 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 522nd 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 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
February to April
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Gorse Seed Weevil in London on a given day, against under 5% in May to January, the lowest months.
2nd of 3
Of the 3 cities where we can rate Gorse Seed Weevil sightings, London ranks 2nd at under 5%. The best odds are in Birmingham (United Kingdom, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Gorse Seed Weevil is recorded against all the insects logged in London (44 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.
