Spodoptera litura
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
Spodoptera litura, otherwise known as the tobacco cutworm or cotton leafworm, is a nocturnal moth in the family Noctuidae. S. litura is a serious polyphagous pest in Asia, Oceania, and the Indian subcontinent that was first described by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1775. Its common names reference two of the most frequent host plants of the moth. In total, 87 species of host plants that are infested by S. litura are of economic importance. The species parasitize the plants as larvae through vigorous eating patterns, oftentimes leaving the leaves completely destroyed. The moth destroys economically important agricultural crops and decreases yield in some plants completely. Their potential impact on the many different cultivated crops, and subsequently the local agricultural economy, has led to serious efforts to control the pests.
S. litura is often confused with its close relative, Spodoptera littoralis. These two species are hard to discriminate between because the larvae and adult forms are identical. Inspecting the genitalia is the most certain way to tell the two species apart.
There are slight but obvious differences in morphology... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kanha National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 2 | Daintree National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Springbrook National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 4 | Blue Mountains National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 5 | Lamington National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report an Oriental Leafworm Moth sighting in Hong Kong on a given day, based on 66 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 171st most-seen of the 1125 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.
February, April–October and December
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report an Oriental Leafworm Moth in Hong Kong on a given day, against under 5% in January, March and November, the lowest months.
Between 7 and 10 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Oriental Leafworm Moth sightings with a recorded time, and about half of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is seen both by day and at night.
10th of 28
Of the 28 cities where we can rate Oriental Leafworm Moth sightings, Hong Kong ranks 10th at about 10%. The best odds are in Vijayawada (India, about 30%), Auckland (New Zealand, about 20%) and Prayagraj (India, about 10%).
Same family: Noctuidae
The closest relatives of the Oriental Leafworm Moth that you can see in Hong Kong (family Noctuidae, Cutworm Moths and Allies) are Flammona trilineata (about 10%), Cerynea discontenta (about 10%) and Enispa elataria (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Oriental Leafworm Moth is recorded against all the insects logged in Hong Kong (66 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.
