Nacerdes melanura
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
The wharf borer, Nacerdes melanura, belongs to the insect order Coleoptera, the beetles. They belong to the family Oedemeridae, known as false blister beetles. Wharf borers are present in all the states of the USA except for Florida. It takes about a year to develop from an egg to an adult. The name 'wharf borer' comes from the larval stage of this insect, which often lingers on pilings and timbers of wharves, especially along coastal areas. The adult beetles are identifiable via a black band across the end of both elytra. In addition, wharf borers are distinct from other members of the family Oedemeridae due to the presence of a single spur on the tibia of the forelegs and the distance between both eyes (twice the length of one eye). The female beetle oviposits eggs on rotten wood, on which the larvae hatch, burrow, then feed. Adults do not eat and depend on stored energy reserves accumulated as a larva. They are considered a pest because they damage wood used in building infrastructures.
The female of this beetle will lay eggs in any damp, decaying timber which has been attacked by fungus. The eggs are creamy white, slightly curved with tapered ends. The larvae... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wadden Sea National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany |
More parks will be added in future updates.
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Istanbul | 🇹🇷 Turkey | |
| 2 | Shanghai | 🇨🇳 China | |
| 3 | Philadelphia | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | New York City | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Montreal | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 6 | Baltimore | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Barcelona | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 8 | Birmingham | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 9 | London | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 10 | Toronto | 🇨🇦 Canada |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Wharf Borer sighting in Shanghai on a given day, based on 14 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 102nd most-seen of the 215 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 40%, if each day is a fresh chance.
May
In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Wharf Borer in Shanghai on a given day, against under 5% in February–April, June–August and October–December, the lowest months.
Between 3 and 6 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Wharf Borer sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 17 cities where we can rate Wharf Borer sightings, Shanghai ranks 2nd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Istanbul (Turkey, about 10%).
Same order: Coleoptera
The closest relatives of the Wharf Borer that you can see in Shanghai (order Coleoptera, Beetles) are Titan Stag Beetle (about 20%), Six-Spotted Zigzag Ladybird (about 20%) and Oriental Flower Beetle (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Wharf Borer is recorded against all the insects logged in Shanghai (14 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.
