Stathmopoda aposema
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Stathmopoda aposema or the Kowhai seed moth, is a species of moth of the family Stathmopodidae. It was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1901. This species is endemic in New Zealand and has been observed in both the North and South Islands. This moth inhabits native forest and scrub and can also be found in sand dune habitat, residential gardens and commercial orchards. Eggs are laid on the seed pods of its host plants, species in the genus Sophora.
Larvae bore into the pods and seeds of their hosts and then overwinter within those seeds. In the New Zealand early spring the larvae feed on the seeds and then pupate within them in a silken cocoon. Research suggests that constant temperatures above 22°C during the larval stage of development renders the adult moths infertile.
Adults begin to emerge in October. Adults are attracted to light and are most commonly observed from October until December. This species plays host to the parasitic wasp Meteorus luteus. This species was first described by Edward Meyrick in 1901 using a specimen he collected in Auckland in December. It was discussed and illustrated by George Hudson in his 1928 book The butterflies and moths... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|
More parks will be added in future updates.
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Auckland | 🇳🇿 New Zealand |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Kowhai Seed Moth sighting in Auckland on a given day, based on 11 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 425th most-seen of the 689 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 20%, if each day is a fresh chance.
September to November
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Kowhai Seed Moth in Auckland on a given day, against under 5% in December to August, the lowest months.
Only Auckland, in our data
Auckland is the only city on Wallace's Line with enough records to rate Kowhai Seed Moth sightings: under 5% of wildlife watchers there report one on a given day.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Kowhai Seed Moth is recorded against all the insects logged in Auckland (11 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.
