Odontopus calceatus
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~30%
Odontopus calceatus is a species of weevil which occurs in much of the eastern and southeastern United States. It is the only species in the genus Odontopus. Its range is as far north as Massachusetts all the way south to the Gulf of Mexico, and from the Atlantic westward to the Mississippi River. Common names include yellow poplar weevil, sassafras mining weevil, tuliptree leafminer, tulip tree weevil, or the magnolia leaf miner.
Yellow poplar weevils are small black-snouted beetles and are tick-like in appearance. While in its larval stage, the weevil presents as a white legless grub. Measuring approximately 1⁄16 inch (0.2 cm) long, the adult weevils are normally black or dark brown in coloring. While most weevils are a solid color it has been noted that some southern populations exhibit yellow antenna. Its protruding snout can lead them sometimes to be confused with a tick.
The weevil goes through a single life-cycle each year. Adults pass the winter months in surrounding leaf litter and become active throughout late April and early May. Before leaf buds on yellow-poplar, sassafras, or magnolia trees open, weevils attack the buds and leave their distinctive feeding... 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 | Washington | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Yellow Poplar Weevil sighting in Great Smoky Mountains National Park on a given day, based on 13 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 334th most-seen of the 822 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
April to June
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Yellow Poplar Weevil in Great Smoky Mountains National Park on a given day, against under 5% in July to March, the lowest months.
Between 1 and 4 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Yellow Poplar Weevil sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Yellow Poplar Weevil sightings, Great Smoky Mountains National Park ranks 2nd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Shenandoah National Park (United States, about 10%).
Same family: Curculionidae
The closest relatives of the Yellow Poplar Weevil that you can see in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (family Curculionidae, True Weevils) are Asian Oak Weevil (about 10%) and Two-Banded Japanese Weevil (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Yellow Poplar Weevil is recorded against all the insects logged in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (13 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.
