Polystoechotes punctata
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
Polystoechotes punctata is a species of giant lacewing in the family Ithonidae. Found in Central America and North America, this giant lacewing was considered extirpated from eastern North America by the 1950s but was serendipitously rediscovered in Fayetteville, Arkansas, where it was found clinging to a facade at a Walmart in 2012. Although it was found in 2012, it was misidentified until 2020.
Characteristics Winged insect, grow up to two inches. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Redwood National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Banff National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 4 | Great Bear Rainforest | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 5 | Yosemite National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
No species of the same family or order lives in Yosemite National Park, so these are its closest relatives here: other insects.
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Polystoechotes punctata sighting in Yosemite National Park on a given day, based on 6 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 174th most-seen of the 227 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
July and September
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Polystoechotes punctata in Yosemite National Park on a given day, against under 5% in August and October–June, the lowest months. Those are among Yosemite National Park's driest months, with about 25 mm of rain a month against 220 mm in January.
Between 8 and 11 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Polystoechotes punctata sightings with a recorded time, and about half of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is seen both by day and at night.
5th of 5
Of the 5 parks where we can rate Polystoechotes punctata sightings, Yosemite National Park ranks 5th at under 5%. The best odds are in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks (United States, about 10%), Redwood National Park (United States, about 10%) and Banff National Park (Canada, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Polystoechotes punctata is recorded against all the insects logged in Yosemite National Park (6 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.
