Echthromorpha intricatoria
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~30%
Echthromorpha intricatoria, also known as the cream-spotted ichneumon, is a common wasp found in Australia and New Zealand. It cannot sting and does not build nests, and is harmless to humans. The female injects eggs into pupae of moths and butterflies with the ovipositor, particularly favouring the Nymphalidae (admiral family). Metacrias huttoni has been shown to be a host species for E. intricatoria.
The body is mostly black with creamy plates on the sides of the abdomen. The clear wings have a span of around 3 centimetres (1.2 in). Antennae and legs are orange. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kosciuszko National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Great Otway National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Blue Mountains National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Cream-Spotted Ichneumon sighting in Auckland on a given day, based on 19 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 275th most-seen of the 689 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
January to June
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Cream-Spotted Ichneumon in Auckland on a given day, against under 5% in July to December, the lowest months.
Between 11 am and 2 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Cream-Spotted Ichneumon sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 4 cities where we can rate Cream-Spotted Ichneumon sightings, Auckland ranks 3rd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Perth (Australia, about 10%) and Melbourne (Australia, about 10%).
Same family: Ichneumonidae
The closest relatives of the Cream-Spotted Ichneumon that you can see in Auckland (family Ichneumonidae, Ichneumonid Wasps) are Lemon Tree Borer Parasitoid Wasp (about 10%), Glabridorsum stokesii (about 10%) and Black-Tipped Orange Ichneumon Wasp (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Cream-Spotted Ichneumon is recorded against all the insects logged in Auckland (19 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.
