Antherophagus ochraceus
In 3 days ~10%
Antherophagus ochraceus is a species of silken fungus beetle in the family Cryptophagidae. It is found in North America. A. ochraceus is one of the largest cryptophagid species. Adults measure 4-5 mm in length. It can be distinguished from similar species by its larger size, entirely yellow body, golden pubescence, small eyes, and smooth, curved pronotum.
The adult beetles are found on flowers, where they eat pollen and nectar and interact with bumblebees. They can be found from May to September. A. ochraceus, along with some other members of Cryptophagidae, engage in phoresy. The beetles are transported by attaching to the legs, mouthparts, or antennae of bumblebees. It remains attached by clamping down with its mandibles. It does not release until the bee returns to its nest. A. ochraceus adults lay eggs in bumblebee nests, where the eggs develop into larvae. In the larval stage, the beetles remain in the nest and eat organic matter and detritus. Specifically, they are presumed to consume honey, bee feces, and comb debris. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|
More parks will be added in future updates.
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Toronto | 🇨🇦 Canada |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report an Antherophagus ochraceus sighting in Toronto on a given day, based on 6 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 1410th most-seen of the 1689 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, if each day is a fresh chance.
Any time of year
In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report an Antherophagus ochraceus in Toronto on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.
Only Toronto, in our data
Toronto is the only city on Wallace's Line with enough records to rate Antherophagus ochraceus sightings: under 5% of wildlife watchers there report one on a given day.
Same order: Coleoptera
The closest relatives of the Antherophagus ochraceus that you can see in Toronto (order Coleoptera, Beetles) are Asian Lady Beetle (about 30%), Japanese Beetle (about 20%) and Red Milkweed Beetle (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Antherophagus ochraceus is recorded against all the insects logged in Toronto (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.
