Theretra capensis
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Theretra capensis is a moth of the family Sphingidae. It is known from woodland and open habitats from the Cape to Zimbabwe, Zambia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Mozambique and East Africa. The length of the forewings is 44–52 mm.
The larvae feed on Vigna species. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Garden Route National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | Addo Elephant National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 3 | Kruger National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 4 | Table Mountain National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Johannesburg | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | Pretoria | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 3 | Cape Town | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Cape Hawkmoth sighting in Cape Town on a given day, based on 7 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 243rd most-seen of the 311 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.
January and October
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Cape Hawkmoth in Cape Town on a given day, against under 5% in February–September and November–December, the lowest months. Those are among Cape Town's driest months, with about 35 mm of rain a month against 140 mm in June.
Between 8 and 11 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Cape Hawkmoth sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is seen both by day and at night.
3rd of 3
Of the 3 cities where we can rate Cape Hawkmoth sightings, Cape Town ranks 3rd at under 5%. The best odds are in Johannesburg (South Africa, about 10%) and Pretoria (South Africa, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Cape Hawkmoth is recorded against all the insects logged in Cape Town (7 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.
