Synchlora aerata
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
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 Chicago on a given day, based on 71 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 208th most-seen of the 978 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.
August and September
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Wavy-Lined Emerald in Chicago on a given day, against under 5% in October to July, the lowest months.
Yes
Of the 14 cities where we can rate Wavy-Lined Emerald sightings, Chicago has the highest daily chance: under 5%. Next come 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 Chicago (family Geometridae, Geometer Moths) are Chickweed Geometer Moth (about 10%), Common Tan Wave (about 10%) and Lesser Maple Spanworm 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 Chicago (71 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.
