Aiolocaria hexaspilota
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
Aiolocaria hexaspilota is a beetle species from the lady beetle family (Coccinellidae); adults can be as large as 13mm long. The species’ scientific name was first given in an 1831 publication by Frederick William Hope. Unaware of its previous identification, Victor Motschulsky was later to call the same species as Aiolocaria mirabilis (in 1860). In most cases of such synonymy, according to the Encyclopedia of Life, “the first name takes priority and is considered to be the valid or accepted name.”
Entomologists Ivo Hodek (Czech Institute of Entomology) and Edward W. Evans (Utah State University) describe the species as “a specialized predator of chrysomelids.” Entomologist G. I. Savoiskaya has observed Aiolocaria hexaspilota actively pursuing larval prey.
Ivo Hodek has also described the species as univoltine (having one brood per year); in early autumn they migrate from sun-exposed forest habitat “to well-insolated slopes of rocky hills or also to buildings.” Seeking winter shelter in rocky crevices or, opportunistically, in human dwellings, the beetles will cluster in aggregations of up to several hundred individuals. Hodek notes that by clustering together they maintain a temperature “much higher than ambient” and that in the spring the adults mate and disperse. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nikko National Park | 🇯🇵 Japan | |
| 2 | Taroko National Park | 🇹🇼 Taiwan |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report an Aiolocaria hexaspilota sighting in Tokyo on a given day, based on 39 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 302nd most-seen of the 1013 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
April to June
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report an Aiolocaria hexaspilota in Tokyo on a given day, against under 5% in July to March, the lowest months.
Between 11 am and 2 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Aiolocaria hexaspilota sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
4th of 4
Of the 4 cities where we can rate Aiolocaria hexaspilota sightings, Tokyo ranks 4th at under 5%. The best odds are in Daejeon (South Korea, about 20%), Sapporo (Japan, about 10%) and Seoul (South Korea, about 10%).
Same family: Coccinellidae
The closest relatives of the Aiolocaria hexaspilota that you can see in Tokyo (family Coccinellidae, Lady Beetles) are Seven-Spotted Lady Beetle (about 20%), Asian Lady Beetle (about 20%) and Yellow Ladybird Beetle (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Aiolocaria hexaspilota is recorded against all the insects logged in Tokyo (39 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.
