Agasicles hygrophila
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Agasicles hygrophila is a species of leaf beetle known by the common name alligator weed flea beetle. It has been used successfully as an agent of biological pest control against the noxious aquatic plant known as alligator weed (Alternanthera philoxeroides).
This beetle is native to South America but has been imported to areas where alligator weed is a problem. The adult beetle is 5 mm in length and black with yellow stripes on its elytra. The female lays about 1,000 eggs in her six-week lifetime. Millimeter-long eggs are laid in rows on leaves, and the small yellow larvae emerge and eat the leaves. Adults also feed on the leaves. Defoliation of alligator weed mats kills the weed and clears the infested waterway. This beetle is established in much of the southeastern United States, where it lives on alligator weed only.
The beetle has been used as a biological control of alligator weed in New Zealand. Wikipedia →
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More parks will be added in future updates.
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report an Alligatorweed Flea Beetle sighting in Taipei on a given day, based on 13 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 455th most-seen of the 765 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.
June
In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report an Alligatorweed Flea Beetle in Taipei on a given day, against under 5% in July to May, the lowest months. That is one of Taipei's wettest months, with about 270 mm of rain against 90 mm in February.
4th of 9
Of the 9 cities where we can rate Alligatorweed Flea Beetle sightings, Taipei ranks 4th at under 5%. The best odds are in Auckland (New Zealand, about 10%), Nanjing (China, about 10%) and Shanghai (China, under 5%).
Same family: Chrysomelidae
The closest relatives of the Alligatorweed Flea Beetle that you can see in Taipei (family Chrysomelidae, Leaf Beetles) are Sweetpotato Leaf Beetle (about 20%), Morphosphaera chrysomeloides (about 10%) and Green Tortoise Beetle (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Alligatorweed Flea Beetle is recorded against all the insects logged in Taipei (13 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.
