Spodoptera dolichos
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Spodoptera dolichos, the dolichos armyworm moth or sweetpotato armyworm moth, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1794. It is found from the southern United States (including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Texas), south through Costa Rica to South America, as far south as Argentina. In the United States, it may occur as far north as Kentucky and Maryland.
The wingspan is about 40 millimetres (1+5⁄8 in). The larvae are polyphagous and feed on a wide range of wild and cultivated plants Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Everglades National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
More parks will be added in future updates.
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Sweet Potato Armyworm Moth sighting in Houston on a given day, based on 21 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 458th most-seen of the 1057 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.
December
In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Sweet Potato Armyworm Moth in Houston on a given day, against under 5% in January to November, the lowest months.
Between 9 pm and midnight
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Sweet Potato Armyworm Moth sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is mostly seen at night.
Yes
Of the 3 cities where we can rate Sweet Potato Armyworm Moth sightings, Houston has the highest daily chance: under 5%. Next come Miami (United States, under 5%) and Austin (United States, under 5%).
Same genus: Spodoptera
The closest relatives of the Sweet Potato Armyworm Moth that you can see in Houston (genus Spodoptera, Armyworm Moths) are Yellow-Striped Armyworm Moth (about 10%) and Fall Armyworm Moth (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Sweet Potato Armyworm Moth is recorded against all the insects logged in Houston (21 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.
