Ceroplastes ceriferus
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Ceroplastes ceriferus, the Indian wax scale, is a species of scale insect in the family Coccidae commonly found in India and China. It is native to southern Asia and has spread to many other parts of the world. This species was first described in 1798 by the Danish botanist and entomologist Johan Christian Fabricius who gave it the name Coccus ceriferus. The type specimen came from India, probably occurring on Maytenus emarginata, however for nearly two hundred years the authorship was wrongly attributed to (James) Anderson. The insect was later transferred to the genus Ceroplastes, becoming Ceroplastes ceriferus.
The adult female Ceroplastes ceriferus is immobile, being permanently attached by its mouthparts to the plant on which it is feeding. The body is hidden under a roughly convex, circular or oval covering of wax which it has secreted; this is white in nymphs and young adults, and becomes pinkish in older individuals. Adults have a forward-pointing waxy horn and there are waxy filaments projecting from the margin of the scale, giving the insect a daisy-like appearance. In many populations, only females exist, giving birth by parthenogenesis.... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|
More parks will be added in future updates.
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Philadelphia | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Sydney | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Washington | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | New York City | 🇺🇸 United States |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report an Indian Wax Scale sighting in Sydney on a given day, based on 14 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 393rd most-seen of the 742 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 an Indian Wax Scale in Sydney on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.
Among the best
Of the 4 cities where we can rate Indian Wax Scale sightings, Sydney ranks 2nd at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Philadelphia (United States, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Indian Wax Scale is recorded against all the insects logged in Sydney (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.
