Phanaeus vindex
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Phanaeus vindex, also known as a rainbow scarab (like other members in its genus), is a North American species of true dung beetle in the family Scarabaeidae. It is found in eastern and central United States (Florida and New England to Arizona and Wyoming) and northern Mexico. It is the most widespread species of Phanaeus in the United States and it has a wide habitat tolerance. It may hybridize with the generally less common P. difformis.
P. vindex adults are hard-bodied beetles which range from approximately 11-22 millimeters (0.4-0.9 inches) in length. They are relatively bulky and oblong. These beetles are sexually dimorphic; the males can be identified by their iridescent elytra and a large horn on their heads while females have slightly less vibrant shells and lack horns. Females also have different numbers of segments on their abdomen than males. Additionally, the ends of male abdomens raise above the elytra, however, in females, they do not. On top of this, the abdomen is distinctly colored in both sexes. Like most Phanaeus species, male rainbow scarabs can be observed in either a major morph with large horns and bodies, or a minor morph, with significantly... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Everglades National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Great Smoky Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miami | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Orlando | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Dallas | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Washington | 🇺🇸 United States |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Rainbow Scarab sighting in Great Smoky Mountains National Park on a given day, based on 6 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 628th 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 20%, if each day is a fresh chance.
August
In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Rainbow Scarab in Great Smoky Mountains National Park on a given day, against under 5% in September to July, the lowest months.
Between 10 am and 1 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Rainbow Scarab sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
3rd of 3
Of the 3 parks where we can rate Rainbow Scarab sightings, Great Smoky Mountains National Park ranks 3rd at under 5%. The best odds are in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge (United States, about 10%) and Everglades National Park (United States, under 5%).
Same family: Scarabaeidae
The closest relatives of the Rainbow Scarab that you can see in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (family Scarabaeidae, Scarabs) are Japanese Beetle (about 20%), High Mountain June Beetle (about 10%) and Grapevine Beetle (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Rainbow Scarab is recorded against all the insects logged in Great Smoky Mountains 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.
