Pogonortalis doclea
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
Pogonortalis doclea, the boatman fly, is a species of signal fly (family Platystomatidae). It is native to Australia and has been introduced to California in the United States. Characteristics of P. doclea are: the cheek immediately below the eye being less than a tenth the height of the eye; the hind femur having an anteroventral keel at the distal third; and the anterior crossvein of the wing meeting vein 4 before the mid-length of the discal cell.
P. doclea is sexually dimorphic. Males have a bundle of long curved bristles on each cheek of the head. In this location, females have a single shorter bristle among small hairs. Larger males also have the head ventrally widened.
This species waves its wings like the rowing of oars on a boat, thus the common name "boatman fly". A slow approach to other flies with the wings held at a depressed slant, extended forwards, indicated cautious investigation.
Pogonortalis doclea is commonly found in Australian gardens. Adults are attracted to and feed on the fresh dung of mammals. Males are territorial, engaging in face-to-face pushing contests, using the bundle of long, curved bristles on either cheek. In such... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blue Mountains National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Springbrook National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Lamington National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Melbourne | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Sydney | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Brisbane | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 4 | Perth | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 5 | Los Angeles | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | San Diego | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | San Francisco | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Boatman Fly sighting in Lamington National Park on a given day, based on 5 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 365th most-seen of the 430 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 40%, if each day is a fresh chance.
October
In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Boatman Fly in Lamington National Park on a given day, against under 5% in February, April–September and November–December, the lowest months.
Between 10 am and 1 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Boatman Fly sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 3 parks where we can rate Boatman Fly sightings, Lamington National Park ranks 3rd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Blue Mountains National Park (Australia, about 10%) and Springbrook National Park (Australia, about 10%).
Same order: Diptera
The closest relatives of the Boatman Fly that you can see in Lamington National Park (order Diptera, Flies) are Southern Queensland Glow Worm (about 20%), Garden Soldier Fly (about 10%) and Black-Banded Hover Fly (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Boatman Fly is recorded against all the insects logged in Lamington 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.
