Spiny Bollworm

Spiny Bollworm

Earias biplaga

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
at Addo Elephant National Park

In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%

11 Verified sightings at Addo Elephant National Park From 2019 to 2026
53 In all 4 parks
February Best month
🌙 Nocturnal When it's spotted

About the Spiny Bollworm

Earias biplaga, the spiny bollworm, is a moth in the family Nolidae. The species was first described by Francis Walker in 1866. It is found throughout subtropical Africa including Atlantic and Indian Ocean islands. Their length is about 10–12 mm, wingspan about 18–25 mm and it is characterised by a dark purplish-brown terminal fringe on the forewing.

The larvae feed on species of Fabaceae and Malvaceae. It is considered as a pest to cotton and cacao. Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~10%
2 Addo Elephant National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~10%
3 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~10%
4 Table Mountain National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Antananarivo 🇲🇬 Madagascar
~10%
2 Harare 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
~10%
3 Nairobi 🇰🇪 Kenya
~10%
4 Pretoria 🇿🇦 South Africa
~10%
5 Durban 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Spiny Bollworm in Addo Elephant National Park?

With luck

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Spiny Bollworm sighting in Addo Elephant National Park on a given day, based on 11 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.

When is the best time to see a Spiny Bollworm in Addo Elephant National Park?

December to July

In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Spiny Bollworm in Addo Elephant National Park on a given day, against under 5% in August to November, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see a Spiny Bollworm?

Between 7 and 10 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Spiny Bollworm sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is mostly seen at night.

Is Addo Elephant National Park the best place to see a Spiny Bollworm?

Among the best

Of the 4 parks where we can rate Spiny Bollworm sightings, Addo Elephant National Park ranks 2nd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park (South Africa, about 10%).

Where does the Spiny Bollworm sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Spiny Bollworm is recorded against all the insects logged in Addo Elephant National Park (11 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.

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