Pigeon Horntail

Pigeon Horntail

Tremex columba

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Washington

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

31 Verified sightings at Washington
September Best month

About the Pigeon Horntail

Tremex columba, also known as the pigeon tremex or pigeon horntail, is a species of horntail that is native to eastern and western North America. The females are larger than the males, with females growing to 25-30mm in length, and males about 20-25mm. The species can vary in coloration from light brown to dark reddish brown, and sports yellow and black stripes along the abdomen. Both males and females have long projections protruding from their rear, with the females possessing an additional projection in the form of an ovipositor.

The females of the species use their ovipositor to deposit their eggs into dead and dying deciduous trees such as beech, elm, maple, and oak, which the larvae burrow inside of and feed upon. They usually deposit between two and seven eggs into the tree. The female will die after this process, and carcasses can sometimes be seen stuck to the bark of host trees.

Megarhyssa macrurus, M. greenei, and M. atrata are the natural predators of this species. The female Megarhyssa seeks out the larvae within the tunnels bored by this species. It then lays an egg next to the larva and then injects a... 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 Salt Lake City 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
2 Denver 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
3 Boston 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
4 Portland 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
5 Montreal 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
6 Toronto 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
7 Detroit 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
8 Minneapolis [Saint Paul] 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
9 Chicago 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
10 Philadelphia 🇺🇸 United States
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Pigeon Horntail in Washington?

Rare

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Pigeon Horntail sighting in Washington on a given day, based on 31 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 627th 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 a Pigeon Horntail in Washington?

Any time of year

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

Is Washington the best place to see a Pigeon Horntail?

13th of 14

Of the 14 cities where we can rate Pigeon Horntail sightings, Washington ranks 13th at under 5%. The best odds are in Salt Lake City (United States, about 10%), Denver (United States, about 10%) and Boston (United States, about 10%).

Where does the Pigeon Horntail sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Pigeon Horntail is recorded against all the insects logged in Washington (31 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.

← Back to Washington