Saissetia coffeae
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Saissetia coffeae, known generally as hemispherical scale, is a species of soft scale insect in the family Coccidae. Other common names include the helmet scale and coffee brown scale. The adult scale varies in diameter from about 2 mm (0.08 in) to 4.5 mm (0.18 in), largely depending on the identity of the host plant. It is smooth, shiny and brown and closely adpressed to a stem or leaf, resembling a miniature military helmet. Young scales often have a slightly ridged surface, sometimes in the form of a "H". Like other scale insects, the hemispherical scale has no limbs and is immobile, piercing the plant tissues with its mouthparts and feeding on sap.
Saissetia coffeae is present in West, Central and East Africa, Madagascar, tropical and subtropical Asia, North, Central and South America and the Caribbean region. All hemispherical scale insects are female, and breeding occurs by parthenogenesis. The eggs are pinkish-beige, oblong and about 0.7 mm (0.03 in) long. Up to a thousand eggs are laid, and they remain concealed under the scale husk, the parent dying soon after they are laid. The eggs hatch into first instars known as "crawlers... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|
More parks will be added in future updates.
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lima | 🇵🇪 Peru | |
| 2 | Auckland | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 3 | Buenos Aires | 🇦🇷 Argentina | |
| 4 | Taipei | 🇹🇼 Taiwan | |
| 5 | São Paulo | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 6 | Miami | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Singapore | 🇸🇬 Singapore | |
| 8 | San Francisco | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | San Diego | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Los Angeles | 🇺🇸 United States |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Hemispherical Scale sighting in Taipei on a given day, based on 6 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 650th 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.
Any time of year
In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Hemispherical Scale in Taipei on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.
4th of 10
Of the 10 cities where we can rate Hemispherical Scale sightings, Taipei ranks 4th at under 5%. The best odds are in Lima (Peru, about 10%), Auckland (New Zealand, under 5%) and Buenos Aires (Argentina, under 5%).
Same order: Hemiptera
The closest relatives of the Hemispherical Scale that you can see in Taipei (order Hemiptera, True Bugs, Hoppers, Aphids, and allies) are Lychee Stink Bug (about 30%), Yellow-Spotted Stink Bug (about 30%) and Cryptotympana takasagona (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Hemispherical Scale is recorded against all the insects logged in Taipei (6 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.
