Physomeloe corallifer
In 3 days ~40% in a week ~70%
Physomeloe corallifer is a species of blister beetle native to the Iberian Peninsula, it is the only recognised species in the genus Physomeloe. As larvae, Physomeloe corallifer have long hairy bodies, with thin legs, large powerful mandibles and short antennae. Larvae are very rarely observed in the wild as they spend their time underground.
As adults they possess short elytra, barely covering a third of their massive abdomens. Their pronotum are adorned by four coral red spots, this is where the species derives its name from,corallifer, meaning "carrying or possessing coral"; these marks have an aposematic function, warning predators of the danger posed by trying to eat them, as like other blister beetles they can secrete hemolymph containing cantharidin, a highly irritating substance that can cause lesions to the skin and conjunctivitis in the eyes; this does not seem to deter great bustards, who eat them in small doses as a measure to self-medicate and expunge parasites. As it is the case with many insects, females are larger than males, measuring up to four centimetres.
Much like other blister beetles, Physomeloe corallifer can parasitize other... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sierra de Guadarrama National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 2 | Monfragüe National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain |
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Physomeloe corallifer sighting in Sierra de Guadarrama National Park on a given day, based on 103 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 35th most-seen of the 597 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.
March and April
In those months about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Physomeloe corallifer in Sierra de Guadarrama National Park on a given day, against under 5% in June to January, the lowest months.
Between noon and 3 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Physomeloe corallifer sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Physomeloe corallifer sightings, Sierra de Guadarrama National Park has the highest daily chance: about 20%. Next come Monfragüe National Park (Spain, about 10%).
Same family: Meloidae
The closest relatives of the Physomeloe corallifer that you can see in Sierra de Guadarrama National Park (family Meloidae, Blister Beetles) are Spanish Fly (about 10%), Four-Spotted Blisterbeetle (about 10%) and Mylabris hieracii (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Physomeloe corallifer is recorded against all the insects logged in Sierra de Guadarrama National Park (103 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.
