Prionus californicus
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Prionus californicus, commonly known as the California root borer, is a species of insect in the longhorn beetle family (Cerambycidae). It is native to the American west where it is often a pest of orchard and vine crops.
The California root borer occurs widely in western North America from Alaska to Mexico. It spends most of its life underground feeding on the roots of most deciduous trees and shrubs, as well as some conifers, brambles, and agricultural crops such as hops and grape vines.
The 2.5 to 5.7 cm adults, which are reddish-brown with smooth shiny wing-cases, emerge from the soil from June to early August. The males are smaller than the females and have more strongly serrated antennae. The adults do not feed. They fly at night, seeking mates. Males appear to be more active, while females produce a pheromone to attract males. The female-produced sex pheromone compound has been identified as an isomer of 3,5-dimethyldodecanoic acid. A synthetic mixture of all four possible isomers of 3,5-dimethyldodecanoic acid is highly attractive to male P. californicus in field trials.
The life span of the adult P. californicus is 10... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Yosemite National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Channel Islands National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Grand Canyon National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Salt Lake City | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | San Diego | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | San Francisco | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Portland | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Los Angeles | 🇺🇸 United States |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a California Root Borer sighting in Portland on a given day, based on 6 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 427th most-seen of the 507 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 California Root Borer in Portland on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.
Between 8 and 11 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most California Root Borer sightings with a recorded time, and about 7 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is mostly seen at night.
Among the best
Of the 5 cities where we can rate California Root Borer sightings, Portland ranks 4th at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Salt Lake City (United States, under 5%), San Diego (United States, under 5%) and San Francisco (United States, under 5%).
Same family: Cerambycidae
The closest relatives of the California Root Borer that you can see in Portland (family Cerambycidae, Longhorn Beetles) are Banded Alder Borer (about 10%), Xestoleptura crassipes (about 10%) and Locust Borer (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the California Root Borer is recorded against all the insects logged in Portland (6 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.
