Meterana alcyone
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Meterana alcyone is a species of moth in the family Noctuidae, the owlet moths. This species is endemic to New Zealand and is found in the North and South Islands. The larvae of this species feed on the leaves of Muehlenbeckia complexa and Corynocarpus laevigatus. Adults are on the wing every month of the year except January. They are attracted to light and have also been recorded as bycatch in the New Zealand National Fruit Fly Surveillance fly traps.
This species was first described by George Hudson in 1898 using specimens collected by A. Norris at the Wellington Botanic Garden and named Melanchra alcyone. In 1928 Hudson discussed and illustrated this species under that name. In 1971 J. S. Dugdale discussed this species suggesting that it might belong within the Erana group. In 1988 J. S. Dugdale placed this species in the genus Meterana. As at 1988 the syntype series of this species has not been located.
Hudson described this species as follows: The expansion of the wings of the ♂ is 1+5⁄8 inches, of the ♀ 1+1⁄2 inches. The fore-wings of the male are warm brown, darker towards the base; there is a wavy, white-edged, black, transverse line at about... 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 Meterana alcyone sighting in Auckland on a given day, based on 6 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 574th 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.
April, July and October
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Meterana alcyone in Auckland on a given day, against under 5% in May–June, August–September and November–March, the lowest months.
Only Auckland, in our data
Auckland is the only city on Wallace's Line with enough records to rate Meterana alcyone sightings: under 5% of wildlife watchers there report one on a given day.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Meterana alcyone is recorded against all the insects logged in Auckland (6 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.
