Large-Tailed Aphideater

Large-Tailed Aphideater

Eupeodes volucris

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
at Joshua Tree National Park

In 3 days ~30% in a week ~60%

45 Verified sightings at Joshua Tree National Park From 2019 to 2026
154 In all 8 parks
January Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Large-Tailed Aphideater

Eupeodes volucris, the large-tailed aphideater or bird hover fly, is a species of hover fly in the family Syrphidae. As its "aphideater" name implies, larvae prey on plant-sucking insects, primarily aphids. The "hover" part of the family name derives from the fact that adults often hover over the plants they visit. Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Death Valley National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~20%
2 Joshua Tree National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
3 Channel Islands National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
4 Grand Canyon National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
5 Saguaro National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
6 Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
7 Rocky Mountain National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
8 Yellowstone National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Sacramento 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
2 Salt Lake City 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
3 Ciudad Juárez 🇲🇽 México
~10%
4 Denver 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
5 Phoenix 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
6 Mesa 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
7 San Diego 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
8 Los Angeles 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
9 Portland 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
10 San Francisco 🇺🇸 United States
~10%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Large-Tailed Aphideater in Joshua Tree National Park?

With luck

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Large-Tailed Aphideater sighting in Joshua Tree National Park on a given day, based on 45 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 45th most-seen of the 190 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 60%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Large-Tailed Aphideater in Joshua Tree National Park?

January and March–April

In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Large-Tailed Aphideater in Joshua Tree National Park on a given day, against under 5% in June to September, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see a Large-Tailed Aphideater?

Between noon and 3 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Large-Tailed Aphideater sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Joshua Tree National Park the best place to see a Large-Tailed Aphideater?

2nd of 8

Of the 8 parks where we can rate Large-Tailed Aphideater sightings, Joshua Tree National Park ranks 2nd at about 10%. The best odds are in Death Valley National Park (United States, about 20%).

Where does the Large-Tailed Aphideater sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Large-Tailed Aphideater is recorded against all the insects logged in Joshua Tree National Park (45 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.

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