Distoleon tetragrammicus
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~50%
Distoleon tetragrammicus is a species of antlion in the subfamily Myrmeleontinae. Distoleon tetragrammicus is widespread in the western Palearctic realm and it is present in most of Southern Europe and in North Africa. This species can be found in a wide range of habitats, from coastal dunes to mountain forests, mainly in arid and sandy areas, in oak and pine forests and in various calcareous wasteland with minimum moisture. The larvae avoid exposed sites as coastal dunes.
The adults of Distoleon tetragrammicus greatly resemble dragonflies or damselflies. They have a wingspan of about 75 millimetres (3.0 in). The front wing can reach a width of 26–40 millimetres (1.0–1.6 in). They have thick, prominent, apically clubbed antennae, a long, narrow abdomen and two pairs of long, transparent, multiveined wings, with some brown and opaque spots. This species is sometimes confused with Myrmeleon formicarius.
The larvae do not look anything like adults. The length of a fully grown larva is typically 12–22 millimetres (0.47–0.87 in). The basic body color is dark brown with darker markings. The head is dark brown. The strong dark brown mandibles... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cévennes National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 2 | Sierra Nevada National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 3 | Pyrénées National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 4 | Sierra de Guadarrama National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Four-Spotted Antlion sighting in Sierra Nevada National Park on a given day, based on 8 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 330th most-seen of the 479 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
July
In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Four-Spotted Antlion in Sierra Nevada National Park on a given day, against under 5% in September to May, the lowest months. That is one of Sierra Nevada National Park's driest months, with about 30 mm of rain against 130 mm in March.
Between 10 pm and 1 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Four-Spotted Antlion sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is seen both by day and at night.
Among the best
Of the 4 parks where we can rate Four-Spotted Antlion sightings, Sierra Nevada National Park ranks 2nd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Cévennes National Park (France, about 10%).
Same family: Myrmeleontidae
The closest relatives of the Four-Spotted Antlion that you can see in Sierra Nevada National Park (family Myrmeleontidae, Antlions and Owlflies) are Macronemurus appendiculatus (about 10%) and Palpares hispanus (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Four-Spotted Antlion is recorded against all the insects logged in Sierra Nevada National Park (8 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.
