Dicranolaius bellulus
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
Dicranolaius bellulus (common name - Red and blue beetle) is a species of soft-winged flower beetle in the family Melyridae, found in Australia, in all mainland states and territories. It was first (partially) described in 1830 by Félix Édouard Guérin-Méneville as Malachius bellulus with the publication of illustrations. However, Guérin-Méneville completed the description with the publication of a text in 1838. Consequently, the Australian Faunal Directory considers the first valid publication to be that of Jean Baptiste Boisduval in 1835 (as Malachius bellulus). Taxonomic reasons for the various synonyms are given in a 2017 paper by Liu, Slipinski and Pang. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hattah-Kulkyne National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Grampians National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Lamington National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 4 | Blue Mountains National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Red And Blue Beetle sighting in Melbourne on a given day, based on 47 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 261st most-seen of the 875 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.
November and December
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Red And Blue Beetle in Melbourne on a given day, against under 5% in January to October, the lowest months.
Between 9 am and noon
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Red And Blue Beetle sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 3 cities where we can rate Red And Blue Beetle sightings, Melbourne has the highest daily chance: under 5%. Next come Brisbane (Australia, under 5%) and Sydney (Australia, under 5%).
Same order: Coleoptera
The closest relatives of the Red And Blue Beetle that you can see in Melbourne (order Coleoptera, Beetles) are Large Spotted Ladybird (about 30%), Fungus-Eating Ladybird (about 20%) and Variegated Lady Beetle (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Red And Blue Beetle is recorded against all the insects logged in Melbourne (47 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.
