Fire-Flag Plume Moth

Fire-Flag Plume Moth

Sphenarches anisodactylus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
at Blue Mountains National Park

In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%

8 Verified sightings at Blue Mountains National Park From 2019 to 2026
8 In 1 park
May Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Fire-Flag Plume Moth

Sphenarches anisodactylus, commonly known as the geranium plume moth or fire-flag plume moth, is a species of moth in the family Pterophoridae. It is found in western Africa, Madagascar, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Japan, the New Hebrides and Central and South America, as well as Australia, where it has been recorded from Cape York to central New South Wales. It is found in the United States, where it has been recorded from Florida, as well as Mississippi. It is also present in the Kermadec Islands of New Zealand.

The wingspan is about 10 millimetres (0.39 in). The larvae feed on flower buds and flowers of Dolichos lablab, Lagenaria, Pelargonium and Fabaceae species. Other recorded food plants include Brillantaisia lamium, Caperonia castaneifolia, Phaseolus vulgaris, Hibiscus mutabilis, Thalia geniculata, Mimosa pudica, Orchidaceae, Averrhoa bilimbi, Passiflora foetida, Antirrhinum majus, Theobroma cacao and Lantana camara. Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Blue Mountains National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~10%

More parks will be added in future updates.

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Perth 🇦🇺 Australia
~10%
2 Melbourne 🇦🇺 Australia
~10%
3 Sydney 🇦🇺 Australia
~10%
4 Brisbane 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
5 Chennai 🇮🇳 India
<5%
6 Houston 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
7 Dallas 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
8 Singapore 🇸🇬 Singapore
<5%
9 Austin 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
10 Miami 🇺🇸 United States
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Fire-Flag Plume Moth in Blue Mountains National Park?

With luck

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Fire-Flag Plume Moth sighting in Blue Mountains National Park on a given day, based on 8 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 456th most-seen of the 789 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.

When is the best time to see a Fire-Flag Plume Moth in Blue Mountains National Park?

February–May and October–November

In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Fire-Flag Plume Moth in Blue Mountains National Park on a given day, against under 5% in June–September and December–January, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see a Fire-Flag Plume Moth?

Between 8 and 11 am

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Fire-Flag Plume Moth sightings with a recorded time, and about 7 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Where else can you see a Fire-Flag Plume Moth?

Only Blue Mountains National Park, in our data

Blue Mountains National Park is the only park on Wallace's Line with enough records to rate Fire-Flag Plume Moth sightings: about 10% of wildlife watchers there report one on a given day.

Where does the Fire-Flag Plume Moth sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Fire-Flag Plume Moth is recorded against all the insects logged in Blue Mountains National Park (8 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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