Cystiphora sonchi
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~50%
Cystiphora sonchi is a species of gall midge in the family Cecidomyiidae. It is native to Eurasia, but has been introduced to North America as a biocontrol of sow thistles. The larvae cause small, circular galls on the leaves of the host plants. Several species of parasitic wasps use the larvae as hosts.
This species was first described as Cecidomyia sonchi by Swiss entomologist Johann Jacob Bremi-Wolf in 1847. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elk Island National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 2 | Wadden Sea National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Cystiphora sonchi sighting in Elk Island National Park on a given day, based on 6 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 85th most-seen of the 112 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
July and September
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Cystiphora sonchi in Elk Island National Park on a given day, against under 5% in October to June, the lowest months. Those are among Elk Island National Park's wettest months, with about 80 mm of rain a month against 20 mm in December.
Between 2 and 5 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Cystiphora sonchi sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Cystiphora sonchi sightings, Elk Island National Park has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Wadden Sea National Park (Germany, under 5%).
Same order: Diptera
The closest relatives of the Cystiphora sonchi that you can see in Elk Island National Park (order Diptera, Flies) are Orange-Tailed Laphria (about 20%), Goldenrod Gall Fly (about 10%) and Temnostoma excentricum (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Cystiphora sonchi is recorded against all the insects logged in Elk Island National Park (6 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.
