American Rose Chafer

American Rose Chafer

Macrodactylus subspinosus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Washington

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

15 Verified sightings at Washington
12 In 1 park From 2019 to 2026
July Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the American Rose Chafer

Macrodactylus subspinosus is a North American beetle of the family Scarabaeidae. The members of its genus are known as "rose chafers", not to be confused with the European rose chafer, Cetonia aurata. M. subspinosus occurs from Eastern Canada to Colorado and is considered a pest of many crops and flowers. It is given its common name of rose chafer because it eats the leaves of roses, although it also feeds on many other plants.

The rose chafer has a yellowish-tan coloured body that is about 8–13 millimetres (0.3–0.5 in) in length, with wings that do not completely cover the abdomen. The beetle has six long, spiny, reddish-brown legs that gradually become darker towards the end of the appendage. It has two short lamellate antennae that end in a club of flat plates and it has chewing mouthparts. Rose chafers are covered in dull yellow hairs which give the body its characteristic colour, however with age and with normal activity the hairs are worn off the head and thorax revealing a black colour. It is thus possible to distinguish between older and younger beetles, as older beetles will have fewer hairs and thus be darker in colour. Females tend to lose more hairs, especially... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Shenandoah National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%

More parks will be added in future updates.

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Montreal 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
2 Washington 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
3 Houston 🇺🇸 United States
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing an American Rose Chafer in Washington?

Rare

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report an American Rose Chafer sighting in Washington on a given day, based on 15 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 952nd most-seen of the 1807 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 an American Rose Chafer in Washington?

Any time of year

In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report an American Rose Chafer in Washington on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.

What time of day is best to see an American Rose Chafer?

Between 1 and 4 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most American Rose Chafer sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Washington the best place to see an American Rose Chafer?

Among the best

Of the 3 cities where we can rate American Rose Chafer sightings, Washington ranks 2nd at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Montreal (Canada, under 5%).

Which relatives of the American Rose Chafer live in Washington?

Same family: Scarabaeidae

The closest relatives of the American Rose Chafer that you can see in Washington (family Scarabaeidae, Scarabs) are Common Green June Beetle (about 10%), Oriental Beetle (about 10%) and Japanese Beetle (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the American Rose Chafer sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the American Rose Chafer is recorded against all the insects logged in Washington (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.

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