Waterlily Leafcutter Moth

Waterlily Leafcutter Moth

Elophila obliteralis

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
at Dallas

In 3 days ~30% in a week ~50%

298 Verified sightings at Dallas
55 In all 2 parks From 2019 to 2026
July Best month
🌙 Nocturnal When it's spotted

About the Waterlily Leafcutter Moth

Elophila obliteralis, the waterlily leafcutter moth, is a species of moth of the family Crambidae. It was described by Francis Walker in 1859. It is native to eastern North America. It is an introduced species in Hawaii and South Africa.

The wingspan is 10–22 mm with the male being smaller than the female. Adults are on wing from May to August in North America. The larvae feed on a wide range of aquatic plants, including Hydrilla verticillata, Eichhornia crassipes, Pistia stratiotes, Nymphaea and Potamogeton species. Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Big Cypress National Preserve 🇺🇸 United States
~20%
2 Everglades National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Dallas 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
2 Austin 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
3 Houston 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
4 Portland 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
5 Baltimore 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
6 Montreal 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
7 Miami 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
8 Edmonton 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
9 Philadelphia 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
10 Washington 🇺🇸 United States
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Waterlily Leafcutter Moth in Dallas?

With luck

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Waterlily Leafcutter Moth sighting in Dallas on a given day, based on 298 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 73rd most-seen of the 1412 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Waterlily Leafcutter Moth in Dallas?

July

In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Waterlily Leafcutter Moth in Dallas on a given day, against under 5% in November to March, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see a Waterlily Leafcutter Moth?

Between 8 and 11 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Waterlily Leafcutter Moth sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is mostly seen at night.

Is Dallas the best place to see a Waterlily Leafcutter Moth?

Yes

Of the 14 cities where we can rate Waterlily Leafcutter Moth sightings, Dallas has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Austin (United States, about 10%) and Houston (United States, about 10%).

Where does the Waterlily Leafcutter Moth sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Waterlily Leafcutter Moth is recorded against all the insects logged in Dallas (298 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.

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