Ichneutica agorastis
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~60%
Ichneutica agorastis is a moth of the family Noctuidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand. This moth is similar in appearance to two other species in the genus but can be distinguished through the colour and size of its forewings. This species is found in the South Island and Stewart Island in open habitats in the subalpine zone. However, in Southland I. agorastis can be found down to sea-level. Adult moths are on the wing between January and April. The life history and host species are unknown.
This species was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1887 from specimens collected at Lake Guyon and Akaroa and named Mamestra agorastis. The male lectotype specimen, collected by Richard William Fereday at Lake Guyon, is held at the Natural History Museum, London. In 1988 John S. Dugdale, in his catalogue of New Zealand Lepidoptera, placed this species within the Graphania genus. In 2019 Robert Hoare undertook a major review of New Zealand Noctuidae species. During this review the genus Ichneutica was greatly expanded and Graphania Hampson, 1905 was subsumed into that genus as a synonym. As a result of this review, this species is now known as Ichneutica agrorastis.
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| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fiordland National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 2 | Arthur's Pass National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report an Ichneutica agorastis sighting in Arthur's Pass National Park on a given day, based on 10 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 39th most-seen of the 60 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 60%, if each day is a fresh chance.
January and March
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report an Ichneutica agorastis in Arthur's Pass National Park on a given day, against under 5% in April to December, the lowest months.
Between 10 pm and 1 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Ichneutica agorastis sightings with a recorded time, and about 7 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is mostly seen at night.
Among the best
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Ichneutica agorastis sightings, Arthur's Pass National Park ranks 2nd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Fiordland National Park (New Zealand, about 10%).
Same genus: Ichneutica
The closest relatives of the Ichneutica agorastis that you can see in Arthur's Pass National Park (genus Ichneutica) are Ichneutica propria (about 20%), Ichneutica atristriga (about 10%) and New Zealand Cutworm (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Ichneutica agorastis is recorded against all the insects logged in Arthur's Pass National Park (10 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.
