Ophiusa tirhaca
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Ophiusa tirhaca, the green drab, is a moth of the family Erebidae. The species was first described by Pieter Cramer in 1777. It is found in southern Europe, Africa, Australia and the southern parts of Asia. The wingspan is about 50 mm.
The larvae feed on heath, Pistacia lentiscus, Pistacia terebinthus, Cotinus coggygria, Rhus coriaria, Rhus cotinus, Cistus, Eucalyptus, Osyris, Viburnum and Pelargonium. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kruger National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | Table Mountain National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Green Drab sighting in Cape Town on a given day, based on 12 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 198th 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.
October
In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Green Drab in Cape Town on a given day, against under 5% in November to September, the lowest months.
Between 7 and 10 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Green Drab sightings with a recorded time, and about half of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is most active around dawn and dusk.
5th of 6
Of the 6 cities where we can rate Green Drab sightings, Cape Town ranks 5th at under 5%. The best odds are in Tel Aviv (Israel, about 10%), Perth (Australia, about 10%) and Johannesburg (South Africa, under 5%).
Same family: Erebidae
The closest relatives of the Green Drab 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 Green Drab is recorded against all the insects logged in Cape Town (12 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.
