Amblyptilia pica
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Amblyptilia pica, the geranium plume moth, is a moth of the family Pterophoridae. The species was first described by Baron Walsingham in 1880. It is found in western North America from Alaska to California, inland to Alberta and Kansas. It is also found in the north-eastern United States and Ontario.
The wingspan is 18–23 millimetres (0.71–0.91 in). Adults have dark grey forewings mottled with black. They are on wing in spring and fall and have been recorded feeding on the flower nectar of Salix species. The larvae feed on Scrophulariaceae, Geraniaceae, Primulaceae, Labiatae and Caprifoliaceae species, including Castilleja species, Pedicularis furbishiae and Scrophularia californica, Penstemon whippleanus. and mine the leaves. The species overwinters as an adult. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Banff National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada |
More parks will be added in future updates.
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Edmonton | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 2 | San Francisco | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | San Diego | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Los Angeles | 🇺🇸 United States |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Geranium Plume Moth sighting in Edmonton on a given day, based on 7 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 273rd most-seen of the 390 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.
July
In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Geranium Plume Moth in Edmonton on a given day, against under 5% in August to June, the lowest months. That is one of Edmonton's wettest months, with about 95 mm of rain against 20 mm in February.
Between 2 and 5 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Geranium Plume Moth sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 4 cities where we can rate Geranium Plume Moth sightings, Edmonton has the highest daily chance: under 5%. Next come San Francisco (United States, under 5%) and San Diego (United States, under 5%).
Same order: Lepidoptera
The closest relatives of the Geranium Plume Moth that you can see in Edmonton (order Lepidoptera, Butterflies and Moths) are Mourning Cloak (about 30%), Forest Tent Caterpillar Moth (about 20%) and Northern Azure (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Geranium Plume Moth is recorded against all the insects logged in Edmonton (7 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.
