Auplopus carbonarius
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Auplopus carbonarius is a spider wasp of the family Pompilidae. Uniquely among the British group it constructs a nest of barrel-shaped cells in which spiders are stored and the larvae develop. The British common name is sometimes given as the potter spider wasp or the yellow-faced spider wasp.
Approximately 10 millimetres (0.39 in) (male 8 mm or 0.31 in) in length, the male is distinguished by the ivory-coloured maculae alongside the eyes. The flight period in Great Britain is June to August, during which the females construct a nest of barrel-shaped cells in which spiders are stored and the larvae develop. There can be as many as ten cells in a nest and the prey often has its legs amputated to make it easier to carry either by flight or more often by crawling along the ground.
The nesting behaviour is quite complex compared to most other spider wasps and shows the behavioural versatility of the female wasp. The nests are constructed in pre-existing holes in various situations, with reports citing nests beneath stones, in masonry, in tree stumps (often in old beetle burrows), under bark and in crevices of tree trunks, in empty galls of cynipid wasps... Wikipedia →
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Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Potter Spider Wasp sighting in London on a given day, based on 10 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 1059th 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.
Any time of year
In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Potter Spider Wasp in London on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.
Among the best
Of the 3 cities where we can rate Potter Spider Wasp sightings, London ranks 3rd at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Warsaw (Poland, under 5%) and Vienna (Austria, under 5%).
Same order: Hymenoptera
The closest relatives of the Potter Spider Wasp that you can see in London (order Hymenoptera, Ants, Bees, Wasps, and Sawflies) are Common Carder Bumble Bee (about 40%), Buff-Tailed Bumble Bee (about 30%) and Hairy-Footed Flower Bee (about 30%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Potter Spider Wasp is recorded against all the insects logged in London (10 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.
