Grammia virgo
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Apantesis virgo, the virgin tiger moth, is a moth of the family Erebidae. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae. It is found in North America from Newfoundland south to Florida west to Alberta.
The wingspan is about 56 mm. The larvae feed on various low-growing plants, including Thermopsis rhombifolia and Plantago species. The species overwinters in the larval stage. This species was formerly a member of the genus Grammia, but was moved to Apantesis along with the other species of the genera Grammia, Holarctia, and Notarctia.
Apantesis virgo virgo (from the Great Lakes region and Atlantic seaboard south through New England, to at least West Virginia. In the west, the range extends to north-eastern British Columbia) Apantesis virgo gigas B. C. Schmidt, 2009 (south-eastern United States, including the Great Smoky Mountains, south to Georgia and northern Florida) Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shenandoah National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
More parks will be added in future updates.
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Edmonton | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 2 | Toronto | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 3 | Washington | 🇺🇸 United States |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Virgin Tiger Moth sighting in Edmonton on a given day, based on 8 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 251st 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.
June
In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Virgin Tiger Moth in Edmonton on a given day, against under 5% in July to May, the lowest months. That is one of Edmonton's wettest months, with about 85 mm of rain against 20 mm in February.
Between 9 pm and midnight
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Virgin Tiger Moth sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is mostly seen at night.
Yes
Of the 3 cities where we can rate Virgin Tiger Moth sightings, Edmonton has the highest daily chance: under 5%. Next come Toronto (Canada, under 5%) and Washington (United States, under 5%).
Same family: Erebidae
The closest relatives of the Virgin Tiger Moth that you can see in Edmonton (family Erebidae, Underwing, Tiger, Tussock, and Allied Moths) are Spotted Tussock Moth (about 10%), Police Car Moth (about 10%) and Virginia Ctenucha Moth (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Virgin Tiger Moth is recorded against all the insects logged in Edmonton (8 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.
