Theretra capensis
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
Theretra capensis is a moth of the family Sphingidae. It is known from woodland and open habitats from the Cape to Zimbabwe, Zambia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Mozambique and East Africa. The length of the forewings is 44–52 mm.
The larvae feed on Vigna species. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Garden Route National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | Addo Elephant National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 3 | Kruger National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 4 | Table Mountain National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Johannesburg | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | Pretoria | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 3 | Cape Town | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Cape Hawkmoth sighting in Addo Elephant National Park on a given day, based on 9 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 90th most-seen of the 198 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.
March, September and November–January
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Cape Hawkmoth in Addo Elephant National Park on a given day, against under 5% in February, April–August and October, the lowest months.
Between 8 and 11 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Cape Hawkmoth 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 Cape Hawkmoth sightings, Addo Elephant National Park ranks 2nd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Garden Route National Park (South Africa, about 10%).
Same family: Sphingidae
The closest relatives of the Cape Hawkmoth that you can see in Addo Elephant National Park (family Sphingidae, Sphinx Moths) are African Hummingbird Hawkmoth (about 10%), Common Striped Hawkmoth (about 10%) and Vine Hawkmoth (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Cape Hawkmoth is recorded against all the insects logged in Addo Elephant National Park (9 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.
