What are the chances of seeing a Pole Borer in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Pole Borer sighting in Great Smoky Mountains National Park on a given day, based on 7 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 513th most-seen of the 822 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
When is the best time to see a Pole Borer in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?
July and August
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Pole Borer in Great Smoky Mountains National Park on a given day, against under 5% in September to June, the lowest months.
What time of day is best to see a Pole Borer?
Between 7 and 10 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Pole Borer sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is mostly seen at night.
Where else can you see a Pole Borer?
Only Great Smoky Mountains National Park, in our data
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the only park on Wallace's Line with enough records to rate Pole Borer sightings: under 5% of wildlife watchers there report one on a given day.
Which relatives of the Pole Borer live in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?
Same family: Cerambycidae
The closest relatives of the Pole Borer that you can see in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (family Cerambycidae, Longhorn Beetles) are Broad-Necked Root Borer (about 20%), Strangalepta Flower Longhorn Beetle (about 10%) and Eastern Elderberry Borer (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
Where does the Pole Borer sighting chance come from?
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Pole Borer is recorded against all the insects logged in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (7 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.