Florida Leaf-Footed Bug

Florida Leaf-Footed Bug

Acanthocephala femorata

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at San Antonio

In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%

34 Verified sightings at San Antonio
100 In all 4 parks From 2019 to 2026
August Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Florida Leaf-Footed Bug

The Florida leaf-footed bug (Acanthocephala femorata) is a species of insect. The genus name Acanthocephala means "spiny head" and comes from the pointed tylus at the tip of the head. Acanthocephala femorata is found in the continental United States and Mexico.

This insect is considered a pest, eating and causing damage to citrus and roses. The lower rear legs are wider than the upper legs, with serrations. This is especially pronounced in the male. It has long, slim, curving antennae with distinctive orange tips. The body is reddish brown to nearly black.

They have a number of predators and therefore biological control is generally enough to prevent their populations from going out of control. Many do not make it past the larval stage; parasitic flies often lay their eggs within the developing larvae, paralyzing them. They are also eaten by birds and assassin bugs. Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Everglades National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
2 Big Cypress National Preserve 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
3 Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
4 Great Smoky Mountains National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Austin 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
2 Houston 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
3 Orlando 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
4 San Antonio 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
5 Dallas 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
6 Miami 🇺🇸 United States
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Florida Leaf-Footed Bug in San Antonio?

Rare

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Florida Leaf-Footed Bug sighting in San Antonio on a given day, based on 34 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 233rd most-seen of the 697 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.

When is the best time to see a Florida Leaf-Footed Bug in San Antonio?

May–September and December

In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Florida Leaf-Footed Bug in San Antonio on a given day, against under 5% in January–April and October–November, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see a Florida Leaf-Footed Bug?

Between 11 am and 2 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Florida Leaf-Footed Bug sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is San Antonio the best place to see a Florida Leaf-Footed Bug?

4th of 6

Of the 6 cities where we can rate Florida Leaf-Footed Bug sightings, San Antonio ranks 4th at under 5%. The best odds are in Austin (United States, about 10%), Houston (United States, under 5%) and Orlando (United States, under 5%).

Where does the Florida Leaf-Footed Bug sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Florida Leaf-Footed Bug is recorded against all the insects logged in San Antonio (34 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.

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