Spiny Leaf Gall Wasp

Spiny Leaf Gall Wasp

Diplolepis polita

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
at Kluane National Park

In 3 days ~40% in a week ~70%

5 Verified sightings at Kluane National Park From 2019 to 2026
132 In all 11 parks
July Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Spiny Leaf Gall Wasp

Diplolepis polita, known generally as the spiny leaf gall wasp, is a species of gall wasp in the family Cynipidae. It was first described by William Harris Ashmead in 1890. This species induces galls on several species of wild roses in North America, including Rosa arkansana and Rosa acicularis. The galls are formed on the leaves in spring and early summer and are spherical with short spikes. Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Elk Island National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~20%
2 Kluane National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~20%
3 Isle Royale National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
4 Pacific Rim National Park Reserve 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
5 Jasper National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
6 Great Bear Rainforest 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
7 Riding Mountain National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
8 Glacier National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
9 Acadia National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
10 Banff National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
11 Olympic National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Edmonton 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
2 Calgary 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
3 Seattle 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
4 Vancouver 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
5 San Francisco 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
6 Denver 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
7 Portland 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
8 Chicago 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
9 Los Angeles 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
10 Washington 🇺🇸 United States
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Spiny Leaf Gall Wasp in Kluane National Park?

Possible

About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Spiny Leaf Gall Wasp sighting in Kluane National Park on a given day, based on 5 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 33rd most-seen of the 39 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 40%, and over a week to about 70%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Spiny Leaf Gall Wasp in Kluane National Park?

June and July

In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Spiny Leaf Gall Wasp in Kluane National Park on a given day, against under 5% in April–May and August–September, the lowest months. Those are among Kluane National Park's driest months, with about 50 mm of rain a month against 160 mm in October. January–February and November have too few records to rate.

What time of day is best to see a Spiny Leaf Gall Wasp?

Between 2 and 5 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Spiny Leaf Gall Wasp sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Kluane National Park the best place to see a Spiny Leaf Gall Wasp?

Among the best

Of the 11 parks where we can rate Spiny Leaf Gall Wasp sightings, Kluane National Park ranks 2nd at about 20%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Elk Island National Park (Canada, about 20%).

Which relatives of the Spiny Leaf Gall Wasp live in Kluane National Park?

Same order: Hymenoptera

The closest relatives of the Spiny Leaf Gall Wasp that you can see in Kluane National Park (order Hymenoptera, Ants, Bees, Wasps, and Sawflies) are Vancouver Bumble Bee (about 40%), Yellow-Fronted Bumble Bee (about 40%) and Frigid Bumble Bee (about 30%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Spiny Leaf Gall Wasp sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Spiny Leaf Gall Wasp is recorded against all the insects logged in Kluane National Park (5 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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