Galtara rostrata
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
Diota rostrata is a species of moth of the subfamily Arctiinae first described by Wallengren in 1860. It is found in South Africa, Eswatini, Zimbabwe, Kenya and Ethiopia. The length of the forewings is 13–16 mm. Adults are cream coloured with brown mottling and darker shades as well as a few black dots in the basal, medial and post medial areas on the forewings.
The larvae feed on a wide range of plants including Senecio species (including S. angulatus, S. tamoides and S. oxyodontus), Delairea odorata, Mikaniopsis cissampelina, Kleinia abyssinica, Carthamus tinctorius, Daucus carota and Bidens pilosa. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Addo Elephant National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | iSimangaliso Wetland Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 3 | Table Mountain National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 4 | Kruger National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Cape Ivy Moth sighting in Cape Town on a given day, based on 23 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 136th 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 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
October
In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Cape Ivy Moth in Cape Town on a given day, against under 5% in November to September, the lowest months.
Between 8 and 11 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Cape Ivy Moth sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is most active around dawn and dusk.
2nd of 3
Of the 3 cities where we can rate Cape Ivy Moth sightings, Cape Town ranks 2nd at under 5%. The best odds are in Pretoria (South Africa, about 10%).
Same family: Erebidae
The closest relatives of the Cape Ivy Moth that you can see in Cape Town (family Erebidae, Underwing, Tiger, Tussock, and Allied Moths) are Brown Tricolour Tiger Moth (about 20%), Heady Maiden (about 20%) and Zebra Ermine (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Cape Ivy Moth is recorded against all the insects logged in Cape Town (23 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.
