Platycheirus scutatus
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~30%
Platycheirus scutatus is a very common species of hoverfly. It is a Holarctic species. External images For terms, see: Morphology of Diptera. Face has two large, silver-grey dust spots. Wing: Tibia 2 is in-bent 1/3 from apex and with only short lateral hairs. Tergite 4 is elongate.
See references for determination. Palearctic: Fennoscandia south to Iberia and the Mediterranean basin from Ireland eastward through Northern Europe, Central Europe and Southern Europe into Turkey and European Russia and through Siberia to the Pacific coast and Japan. Nearctic: Alaska south to Colorado. But see Speight (2011).
The larvae feed on aphids on low-growing plants and trees. Adults feed on a wide range of flowers. They have multiple broods throughout the warmer months and have a very long flight period. They may stay active during cold weather. 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 | Manchester | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Many-Tufted Sedgesitter sighting in London on a given day, based on 55 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 462nd most-seen of the 1504 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
March–April and August–September
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Many-Tufted Sedgesitter in London on a given day, against under 5% in May–July and October–February, the lowest months.
Among the best
Of the 3 cities where we can rate Many-Tufted Sedgesitter sightings, London ranks 2nd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Birmingham (United Kingdom, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Many-Tufted Sedgesitter is recorded against all the insects logged in London (55 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.
