Dinocampus coccinellae
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Dinocampus coccinellae is a braconid wasp parasite of coccinellid beetles, including the spotted lady beetle, Coleomegilla maculata. It is the only species in the genus Dinocampus. D. coccinellae has been described as turning its ladybird host into a temporary "zombie" guarding the wasp cocoon. About 25% of Coleomegilla maculata recover after the cocoon they are guarding matures, although the proportion of other ladybird species which recover is much lower.
In 1802, Schrank first described a female adult of this species as "Lady-bird killer 2155. Deep black, eyes green; head, front legs, and apex of the petiolate abdomen mussel-brown." (A petiolate abdomen is one whose basal segment is stalk-like, that is, long and slender.) Nearly all D. coccinellae are female offspring of unfertilized eggs, although males are also occasionally found. The male, when observed, has no ovipositor and is slimmer and darker than females.
The mature female wasp seeks out adult female ladybirds, although they will sometimes oviposit into a male adult or larval instar. One egg is planted in the host's soft underbelly. The wasp larva hatches after 5–7 days into a first instar... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|
More parks will be added in future updates.
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hamburg | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 2 | Berlin | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 3 | Portland | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Birmingham | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 5 | Auckland | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 6 | Vancouver | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 7 | Prague | 🇨🇿 Czechia | |
| 8 | London | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 9 | Vienna | 🇦🇹 Austria | |
| 10 | San Francisco | 🇺🇸 United States |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Ladybird Parasitoid Wasp sighting in Vancouver on a given day, based on 15 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 244th most-seen of the 482 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 Ladybird Parasitoid Wasp in Vancouver on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.
6th of 10
Of the 10 cities where we can rate Ladybird Parasitoid Wasp sightings, Vancouver ranks 6th at under 5%. The best odds are in Hamburg (Germany, about 10%), Berlin (Germany, under 5%) and Portland (United States, under 5%).
Same order: Hymenoptera
The closest relatives of the Ladybird Parasitoid Wasp that you can see in Vancouver (order Hymenoptera, Ants, Bees, Wasps, and Sawflies) are Common Eastern Bumble Bee (about 30%), Yellow-Faced Bumble Bee (about 30%) and Fuzzy-Horned Bumble Bee (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Ladybird Parasitoid Wasp is recorded against all the insects logged in Vancouver (15 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.
