Inopus rubriceps
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Inopus rubriceps, known generally as the sugarcane soldier fly or Australian soldier fly, is a species of soldier fly in the family Stratiomyidae. The fly acts as a host for the parasitoid wasps Neurogalesus carinatus and Neurogalesus militis. The species causes damage to pasture, as well as oat and maize crops, however the degree of damage it causes means it is not considered a major pest.
Though native to South East Queensland and northern New South Wales areas in Australia, its introduced range includes California and New Zealand. Populations tend to prefer warm, moist climates in subtropical/tropical regions, and no related species occur in its native range, suggesting a long evolutionary history for the fly in the region. The species was first recorded in New Zealand in 1944, appearing at Ōpōtiki in the Bay of Plenty in the North Island. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Egmont National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand |
More parks will be added in future updates.
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Auckland | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 2 | San Francisco | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Melbourne | 🇦🇺 Australia |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Sugarcane Soldier Fly sighting in Melbourne on a given day, based on 9 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 640th 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 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 Sugarcane Soldier Fly in Melbourne on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.
Between noon and 3 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Sugarcane Soldier Fly sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 3 cities where we can rate Sugarcane Soldier Fly sightings, Melbourne ranks 3rd at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Auckland (New Zealand, under 5%) and San Francisco (United States, under 5%).
Same family: Stratiomyidae
The closest relatives of the Sugarcane Soldier Fly that you can see in Melbourne (family Stratiomyidae, Soldier Flies) are Garden Soldier Fly (about 10%), Black Soldier Fly (about 10%) and Australian Wingless Soldier Fly (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Sugarcane Soldier Fly is recorded against all the insects logged in Melbourne (9 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.
