Synchlora aerata
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Synchlora aerata, the wavy-lined emerald moth or camouflaged looper, is a species of moth of the family Geometridae. The species was described by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1798. It is found in the United States and Canada.
The wingspan is about 17 mm. The larvae are loopers (inchworms) like the rest in the family. They feed on composite flowers, shrubs, and trees. Recorded food plants include Aster, Rudbeckia, Liatris, Solidago, Artemisia, Achillea and Rubus species. The species overwinters as a partially grown larva.
The caterpillars employ the unusual behavior of affixing bits of the plant tissue on which they are feeding to the several large spines on their back. This provides cover from gleaning birds that rely on keen eyesight. The camouflage can also block smaller animals from sensing them.
Synchlora aerata aerata (Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Texas, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Arkansas, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont, southern Ontario, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, Maryland) Synchlora aerata albolineata Packard, 1873 (from Newfoundland to Alberta and south to Minnesota, Wisconsin, New York, Maine, New England, Massachusetts, northern Connecticut. It is also... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|
More parks will be added in future updates.
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicago | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Edmonton | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 3 | Sacramento | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Baltimore | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Philadelphia | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Boston | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Washington | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Minneapolis [Saint Paul] | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | Calgary | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 10 | Toronto | 🇨🇦 Canada |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Wavy-Lined Emerald sighting in Boston on a given day, based on 16 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 583rd most-seen of the 1200 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.
August
In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Wavy-Lined Emerald in Boston on a given day, against under 5% in September to July, the lowest months.
Among the best
Of the 14 cities where we can rate Wavy-Lined Emerald sightings, Boston ranks 6th at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Chicago (United States, under 5%), Edmonton (Canada, under 5%) and Sacramento (United States, under 5%).
Same family: Geometridae
The closest relatives of the Wavy-Lined Emerald that you can see in Boston (family Geometridae, Geometer Moths) are Pale Beauty (about 10%), Single-Dotted Wave (about 10%) and Winter Moth (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Wavy-Lined Emerald is recorded against all the insects logged in Boston (16 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.
