Chauliognathus pensylvanicus
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
The goldenrod soldier beetle or Pennsylvania leatherwing (Chauliognathus pensylvanicus) is a species of soldier beetle (Cantharidae). The specific epithet pensylvanicus is Latin for "of Pennsylvania". The spelling with one n was in common use at the time (de Geer says in the description that the specimen was sent to him from 'Pensylvanie'), so the species name based on it cannot be corrected under the rules governing scientific names.
The species is native to North America and is one of the most common species of soldier beetle in the Midwest. It ranges from Eastern to Central Canada down through Florida and Northern Texas. Some populations can be seen as far west as Colorado.
Soldier beetles are just around five-eighths of an inch (1.6 cm) long. They have elongated, leathery elytra that cover almost the entirety of their abdomen. They are an orangish, brownish color and have distinct black patches. They also have a dark spot on their pronotum that is elongated horizontally. This is essential for identifying the species when comparing it to margined leatherwing (Chauliognathus marginatus), which is elongated vertically. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shenandoah National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Great Smoky Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minneapolis [Saint Paul] | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Detroit | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Chicago | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Boston | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Washington | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Montreal | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 7 | Baltimore | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Toronto | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 9 | New York City | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Philadelphia | 🇺🇸 United States |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Goldenrod Soldier Beetle sighting in New York City on a given day, based on 41 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 430th most-seen of the 1623 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 Goldenrod Soldier Beetle in New York City 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 Goldenrod Soldier Beetle sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
9th of 10
Of the 10 cities where we can rate Goldenrod Soldier Beetle sightings, New York City ranks 9th at under 5%. The best odds are in Minneapolis [Saint Paul] (United States, about 20%), Detroit (United States, about 10%) and Chicago (United States, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Goldenrod Soldier Beetle is recorded against all the insects logged in New York City (41 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.
