Waterlily Leafcutter Moth

Waterlily Leafcutter Moth

Elophila obliteralis

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Edmonton

In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%

7 Verified sightings at Edmonton
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 Edmonton?

Rare

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Waterlily Leafcutter 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.

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

Any time of year

In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Waterlily Leafcutter Moth in Edmonton on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.

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 Edmonton the best place to see a Waterlily Leafcutter Moth?

8th of 14

Of the 14 cities where we can rate Waterlily Leafcutter Moth sightings, Edmonton ranks 8th at under 5%. The best odds are in Dallas (United States, about 10%), Austin (United States, about 10%) and Houston (United States, about 10%).

Which relatives of the Waterlily Leafcutter Moth live in Edmonton?

Same family: Crambidae

The closest relatives of the Waterlily Leafcutter Moth that you can see in Edmonton (family Crambidae, Crambid Snout Moths) are Topiary Grass-Veneer (about 10%) and Kearfott's Petrophila (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

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 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.

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