Euchloron megaera
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
Euchloron is a monotypic moth genus of the family Sphingidae first described by Jean Baptiste Boisduval in 1875. Its only species, Euchloron megaera, the verdant hawk, is known from most of Africa and Yemen. It is a migratory species.
The length of the forewings is 40–50 mm and the wingspan is 96–121 mm. The larvae feed on Ampelopsis quinquefolia, Vigna and Cissus species. Euchloron megaera megaera (very common and widely distributed in most habitats in most of Africa south of the Sahara, and Grand Comore, except high mountains and very arid areas. It is also not found in the western Cape)
Kitching, I. J.; Haxaire, J. & Rougerie, R. (2009). "Euchloron megaera". Archived from the original on November 23, 2018. Retrieved November 23, 2018. - with images Photos on the sites «Ianni Butterfly Enterprises» (United States) and Philippe Blanchot (France) Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ranomafana National Park | 🇲🇬 Madagascar | |
| 2 | Gorongosa National Park | 🇲🇿 Mozambique | |
| 3 | iSimangaliso Wetland Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Antananarivo | 🇲🇬 Madagascar | |
| 2 | Durban | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Verdant Hawkmoth sighting in Durban on a given day, based on 25 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 89th most-seen of the 401 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 40%, if each day is a fresh chance.
January to August
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Verdant Hawkmoth in Durban on a given day, against under 5% in September to December, the lowest months.
Between 6 and 9 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Verdant Hawkmoth 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.
Among the best
Of the 2 cities where we can rate Verdant Hawkmoth sightings, Durban ranks 2nd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Antananarivo (Madagascar, about 10%).
Same family: Sphingidae
The closest relatives of the Verdant Hawkmoth that you can see in Durban (family Sphingidae, Sphinx Moths) are Vine Hawkmoth (about 10%), Common Striped Hawkmoth (about 10%) and Death's Head Hawkmoth (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Verdant Hawkmoth is recorded against all the insects logged in Durban (25 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.
