Gallinipper

Gallinipper

Psorophora ciliata

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Washington

In 3 days ~10%

7 Verified sightings at Washington
18 In 1 park From 2019 to 2026
June Best month
🌅 Crepuscular When it's spotted

About the Gallinipper

Psorophora ciliata is a species of large mosquito indigenous to North America east of the continental divide. It is one of thirteen species of the genus that reside in the continental United States. The mosquito has been referred to as the “gallinipper” or “shaggy-legged gallinipper” due to its tendency to behave aggressively.

Psorophora ciliata occurs east of the Continental Divide of the Americas with a range from South Dakota south to Central America and east to Quebec and Florida. In South America, P. ciliata can be found in tropic or temperate environments. These insects may live for up to two years from birth.

Psorophora ciliata are relatively large mosquitoes compared to other species within the genus, with a wingspan of 7–9 mm. Males and females are large and yellow-colored. The proboscis is yellow with a black tip. The abdomen is pale with a paler tip. The thorax is dark brown with a thin, bright yellow stripe which goes down the middle with two dark stripes on each side. The most common way to tell the P. ciliata apart from other species is their banded “shaggy” legs. Like all mosquitoes, the males have bushy antennae and the females... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Padre Island National Seashore 🇺🇸 United States
~10%

More parks will be added in future updates.

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Austin 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
2 Houston 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
3 Dallas 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
4 San Antonio 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
5 Washington 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
6 Chicago 🇺🇸 United States
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Gallinipper in Washington?

Rare

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Gallinipper sighting in Washington on a given day, based on 7 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 1424th most-seen of the 1807 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Gallinipper in Washington?

Any time of year

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

What time of day is best to see a Gallinipper?

Between 5 and 8 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Gallinipper sightings with a recorded time, and about 7 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is most active around dawn and dusk.

Is Washington the best place to see a Gallinipper?

Among the best

Of the 6 cities where we can rate Gallinipper sightings, Washington ranks 5th at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Austin (United States, under 5%), Houston (United States, under 5%) and Dallas (United States, under 5%).

Where does the Gallinipper sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Gallinipper is recorded against all the insects logged in Washington (7 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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