Black-Margined Loosestrife Beetle

Black-Margined Loosestrife Beetle

Neogalerucella calmariensis

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Toronto

In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%

27 Verified sightings at Toronto
June Best month

About the Black-Margined Loosestrife Beetle

Galerucella calmariensis, sometimes Neogalerucella calmariensis, is a species of leaf beetle in the family Chrysomelidae. It is commonly known as the black-margined loosestrife beetle and is native to Europe and Northern Asia (excluding China) where both adults and larvae feed on purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria). It has been introduced in North America as a biological control agent for purple loosestrife.

The black-margined loosestrife beetle is cylindrical in shape, mid brown, three to six millimetres long and half that width. When seen from above it often has two blackish lateral lines down either side. The eggs are spherical, white and usually topped with frass. The larvae are yellow speckled with black and resemble small caterpillars.

Adults overwinter in leaf litter near purple loosestrife plants. They emerge in the spring and start to feed on the young growth. They cause damage to the leaves characterised by neat rounded shot holes between the veins. The females lay up to 500 eggs from May to July in small batches on leaves and stems. On hatching, the first instar larvae feed on growing shoot tips and may kill them. Later instars feed on... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability

More parks will be added in future updates.

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Tokyo 🇯🇵 Japan
<5%
2 Minneapolis [Saint Paul] 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
3 Boston 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
4 Toronto 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
5 London 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Black-Margined Loosestrife Beetle in Toronto?

Rare

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Black-Margined Loosestrife Beetle sighting in Toronto on a given day, based on 27 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 557th most-seen of the 1689 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.

When is the best time to see a Black-Margined Loosestrife Beetle in Toronto?

Any time of year

In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Black-Margined Loosestrife Beetle in Toronto on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.

Is Toronto the best place to see a Black-Margined Loosestrife Beetle?

Among the best

Of the 5 cities where we can rate Black-Margined Loosestrife Beetle sightings, Toronto ranks 4th at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Tokyo (Japan, under 5%), Minneapolis [Saint Paul] (United States, under 5%) and Boston (United States, under 5%).

Which relatives of the Black-Margined Loosestrife Beetle live in Toronto?

Same family: Chrysomelidae

The closest relatives of the Black-Margined Loosestrife Beetle that you can see in Toronto (family Chrysomelidae, Leaf Beetles) are Spotted Cucumber Beetle (about 10%) and Goldenrod Leaf Beetle (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Black-Margined Loosestrife Beetle sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Black-Margined Loosestrife Beetle is recorded against all the insects logged in Toronto (27 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.

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