Epiphyas postvittana
In 3 days ~40% in a week ~60%
The light brown apple moth (Epiphyas postvittana), often abbreviated to LBAM, is a leafroller moth belonging to the lepidopteran family Tortricidae. Light brown apple moth adults are variable in colour and may be confused with other leafroller moths and similar species. DNA analysis is currently required to positively identify the species that are otherwise indistinguishable on gross characteristics from other moths of similar species. Typical males have a forewing length of 6–10 mm with a light brown area at the base, which is distinguishable from a much darker, red-brown area at the tip. The latter may be absent, with the moth appearing uniformly light brown, as in the females, which have only slightly darker oblique markings distinguishing the area at the tip of the wing. Females have a forewing length of 7–13 mm.
Larvae are not easily distinguished from the larvae of other tortricid leafrollers; only DNA testing is a certain identification method. The first larval instar has a dark brown head; all other instars have a light fawn head and prothoracic plate. Overwintering larvae are darker. First instar larvae are approximately 1... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Snowdonia National Park | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 2 | Blue Mountains National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Great Otway National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liverpool | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 2 | London | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 3 | Birmingham | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 4 | Manchester | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 5 | Auckland | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 6 | Dublin | 🇮🇪 Ireland | |
| 7 | Leeds | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 8 | Melbourne | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 9 | San Francisco | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | San Diego | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Light Brown Apple Moth sighting in Auckland on a given day, based on 117 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 55th 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 60%, if each day is a fresh chance.
June and December–January
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Light Brown Apple Moth in Auckland on a given day, against about 10% in February–May and July–November, the lowest months.
Between 9 am and noon
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Light Brown Apple Moth sightings with a recorded time, and about 7 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is most active around dawn and dusk.
5th of 10
Of the 10 cities where we can rate Light Brown Apple Moth sightings, Auckland ranks 5th at about 10%. The best odds are in Liverpool (United Kingdom, about 50%), London (United Kingdom, about 20%) and Birmingham (United Kingdom, about 20%).
Same family: Tortricidae
The closest relatives of the Light Brown Apple Moth that you can see in Auckland (family Tortricidae, Tortricid Leafroller Moths) are Orange Fruit Borer (about 20%), Capua intractana (about 20%) and Cotton Tipworm Moth (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Light Brown Apple Moth is recorded against all the insects logged in Auckland (117 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.
