Brachypalpus alopex
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Brachypalpus alopex, the bumblebee catkin fly, is an uncommon species of syrphid fly first officially described by Osten Sacken in 1877. Hoverflies get their names from the ability to remain nearly motionless while in flight. The adults are also known as flower flies, for they are commonly found around and on flowers from which they get both energy-giving nectar and protein-rich pollen. The larvae are of the rat-tailed type feeding on decaying sap under tree bark. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Olympic National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
More parks will be added in future updates.
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Bumblebee Catkin Fly sighting in Seattle on a given day, based on 5 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 380th most-seen of the 428 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.
March
In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Bumblebee Catkin Fly in Seattle on a given day, against under 5% in April to February, the lowest months.
Between 11 am and 2 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Bumblebee Catkin 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 2 cities where we can rate Bumblebee Catkin Fly sightings, Seattle ranks 2nd at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Portland (United States, under 5%).
Same family: Syrphidae
The closest relatives of the Bumblebee Catkin Fly that you can see in Seattle (family Syrphidae, Hover Flies) are Yellow-Haired Sun Fly (about 10%), Eurasian Drone Fly (about 10%) and Narcissus Bulb Fly (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Bumblebee Catkin Fly is recorded against all the insects logged in Seattle (5 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.
