Silhouette: Crystal Maier · PhyloPic
Melanophila consputa
In 3 days ~10%
Melanophila consputa, the charcoal beetle, is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle in the family Buprestidae. It is found in Central America, North America, and Oceania. Like other members of their genus, charcoal beetles are drawn to forest fires, which they find using sensors near their legs that detect infrared radiation. Female charcoal beetles then lay their eggs in the charred remains of coniferous trees. They have been known to swarm large groups of smokers and bite humans. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|
More parks will be added in future updates.
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | San Francisco | 🇺🇸 United States |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Charcoal Beetle sighting in Los Angeles on a given day, based on 17 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 454th most-seen of the 851 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, if each day is a fresh chance.
Any time of year
In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Charcoal Beetle in Los Angeles on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.
Yes
Of the 2 cities where we can rate Charcoal Beetle sightings, Los Angeles has the highest daily chance: under 5%. Next come San Francisco (United States, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Charcoal Beetle is recorded against all the insects logged in Los Angeles (17 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.
