Peridroma saucia
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~50%
Peridroma saucia, the pearly underwing or variegated cutworm, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by Jacob Hübner in 1808. It is found in North and South America, Europe, Asia and Africa. The variegated cutworm feeds on many plants, especially common fruits and vegetables. The moth undergoes two to four generations per year. The development of the moth slows in colder temperatures, indicative of its migratory nature. All stages of the life cycle have a developmental threshold for temperature. The moth is known to migrate to the northern regions during warmer months, returning to the southern regions when the climate becomes colder.
The variegated cutworm has a number of wasp and fly parasites, which account for most of the larval deaths each year. The female P. saucia produces a sex pheromone to attract male moths. Most notably, the variegated cutworm is known as one of the most damaging garden pests. The larvae cause considerable damage to common garden vegetables and fruits, destroying large amounts of crops every year. There are many methods of pest control that are being implemented in order to control P. saucia and its damage to crops. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sierra Nevada National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 2 | Pyrénées National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 3 | Sierra de Guadarrama National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 4 | Big Bend National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Cévennes National Park | 🇫🇷 France |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Variegated Cutworm Moth sighting in Austin on a given day, based on 272 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 118th most-seen of the 1624 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
February and March
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Variegated Cutworm Moth in Austin on a given day, against under 5% in June to October, the lowest months.
Between 10 pm and 1 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Variegated Cutworm 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.
3rd of 25
Of the 25 cities where we can rate Variegated Cutworm Moth sightings, Austin ranks 3rd at about 10%. The best odds are in Porto (Portugal, about 20%) and Valencia (Spain, about 20%).
Same family: Noctuidae
The closest relatives of the Variegated Cutworm Moth that you can see in Austin (family Noctuidae, Cutworm Moths and Allies) are Wedgling Moth (about 20%), Harp-Winged Tripudia Moth (about 20%) and Armyworm Moth (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Variegated Cutworm Moth is recorded against all the insects logged in Austin (272 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.
