Australian Pug Moth

Australian Pug Moth

Chloroclystis filata

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
at Auckland

In 3 days ~40% in a week ~70%

149 Verified sightings at Auckland
144 In all 7 parks From 2019 to 2026
November Best month
🌙 Nocturnal When it's spotted

About the Australian Pug Moth

Chloroclystis filata, the Australian pug moth, is a species of moth of the family Geometridae. It is native to Australia and is found in the south eastern quarter of Australia and on Norfolk Island. It self-introduced itself to New Zealand in 1960. In Australia host plants are acacias (the blossoms) and Fabaceae (the petals).

This species was first described by Achille Guenée in 1857 and originally named Eupithecia filata. In 1958 L. B. Prout discussed this species under the name Chloroclystis albiplaga as an aberration of filata. The placement of this species in the genus Chloroclystis is in doubt. As a result, this species has also been referred to as Chloroclystis (s.l.) filata. The male holotype specimen is held at the Natural History Museum, London.

This species has a wingspan of between 20 and 25 mm. It has forewings that are brownish in colour. This species is variable with some specimens having the whole of their forewing being brown, pinkish brown or a black shade. Other specimens of this species have large white patches in the middle to lower portion of their forewings. This species can be distinguished from other species with a similar appearance... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Great Otway National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~20%
2 Rakiura National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
~20%
3 Egmont National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
~10%
4 Arthur's Pass National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
~10%
5 Abel Tasman National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
~10%
6 Fiordland National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
~10%
7 Blue Mountains National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~10%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Auckland 🇳🇿 New Zealand
~10%
2 Melbourne 🇦🇺 Australia
~10%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing an Australian Pug Moth in Auckland?

With luck

About 10% of wildlife watchers report an Australian Pug Moth sighting in Auckland on a given day, based on 149 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 45th most-seen of the 689 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 40%, and over a week to about 70%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see an Australian Pug Moth in Auckland?

October and November

In those months about 30% of wildlife watchers report an Australian Pug Moth in Auckland on a given day, against under 5% in March–April and June, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see an Australian Pug Moth?

Between 8 and 11 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Australian Pug 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 Auckland the best place to see an Australian Pug Moth?

Yes

Of the 2 cities where we can rate Australian Pug Moth sightings, Auckland has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Melbourne (Australia, about 10%).

Where does the Australian Pug Moth sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Australian Pug Moth is recorded against all the insects logged in Auckland (149 verified sightings), 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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