Chauliognathus pensylvanicus
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~50%
The goldenrod soldier beetle or Pennsylvania leatherwing (Chauliognathus pensylvanicus) is a species of soldier beetle (Cantharidae). The specific epithet pensylvanicus is Latin for "of Pennsylvania". The spelling with one n was in common use at the time (de Geer says in the description that the specimen was sent to him from 'Pensylvanie'), so the species name based on it cannot be corrected under the rules governing scientific names.
The species is native to North America and is one of the most common species of soldier beetle in the Midwest. It ranges from Eastern to Central Canada down through Florida and Northern Texas. Some populations can be seen as far west as Colorado.
Soldier beetles are just around five-eighths of an inch (1.6 cm) long. They have elongated, leathery elytra that cover almost the entirety of their abdomen. They are an orangish, brownish color and have distinct black patches. They also have a dark spot on their pronotum that is elongated horizontally. This is essential for identifying the species when comparing it to margined leatherwing (Chauliognathus marginatus), which is elongated vertically. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shenandoah National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Great Smoky Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minneapolis [Saint Paul] | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Detroit | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Chicago | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Boston | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Washington | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Montreal | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 7 | Baltimore | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Toronto | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 9 | New York City | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Philadelphia | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Goldenrod Soldier Beetle sighting in Washington on a given day, based on 392 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 95th most-seen of the 1807 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
September
In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Goldenrod Soldier Beetle in Washington on a given day, against under 5% in November to July, the lowest months.
Between noon and 3 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Goldenrod Soldier Beetle sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
5th of 10
Of the 10 cities where we can rate Goldenrod Soldier Beetle sightings, Washington ranks 5th at about 10%. The best odds are in Minneapolis [Saint Paul] (United States, about 20%), Detroit (United States, about 10%) and Chicago (United States, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Goldenrod Soldier Beetle is recorded against all the insects logged in Washington (392 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.
