Merry Graphic Moth

Merry Graphic Moth

Melipotis jucunda

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
at Big Bend National Park

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

16 Verified sightings at Big Bend National Park From 2019 to 2026
47 In all 3 parks
September Best month
🌙 Nocturnal When it's spotted

About the Merry Graphic Moth

Melipotis jucunda, the merry melipotis moth, is a species of moth in the family Erebidae. It is found in Mexico (Yucatán, Mérida), Colombia, most of the United States, western Canada and northeast Brazil. The wingspan is 35–42 mm. There are two or three generations in New Jersey and multiple generations in the southern part of the range.

The larvae feed on Salix bonplandia and Salix wrighti, Acacia species and Calliandra eriophylla. Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Big Bend National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
2 Saguaro National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
3 Joshua Tree National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Mesa 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
2 Austin 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
3 Phoenix 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
4 Torreón 🇲🇽 México
~10%
5 Dallas 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
6 Las Vegas 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
7 San Antonio 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
8 San Diego 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
9 Los Angeles 🇺🇸 United States
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Merry Graphic Moth in Big Bend National Park?

With luck

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Merry Graphic Moth sighting in Big Bend National Park on a given day, based on 16 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 131st most-seen of the 329 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 Merry Graphic Moth in Big Bend National Park?

September

In that month about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Merry Graphic Moth in Big Bend National Park on a given day, against under 5% in January–March, June–August and October–November, the lowest months. That is one of Big Bend National Park's wettest months, with about 50 mm of rain against 10 mm in April.

What time of day is best to see a Merry Graphic Moth?

Between 9 pm and midnight

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Merry Graphic Moth 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 Big Bend National Park the best place to see a Merry Graphic Moth?

Yes

Of the 3 parks where we can rate Merry Graphic Moth sightings, Big Bend National Park has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Saguaro National Park (United States, about 10%) and Joshua Tree National Park (United States, under 5%).

Where does the Merry Graphic Moth sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Merry Graphic Moth is recorded against all the insects logged in Big Bend National Park (16 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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