Mocis frugalis
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
Mocis frugalis, the sugarcane looper, is a moth of the family Erebidae. The species was first described by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1775. It is found in several parts of the world, including India, Sri Lanka, West African countries and other Oriental regions. The adult is a fruit piercer and a major pest of crops.
In a recent publication[1] Mocis proverai, that is found in Africa and on the Arabian peninsula has been promoted to a separate species. Both species can be distinguished by microscopic examination of their genitalia. Its wingspan is 36–50 millimetres (1.4–2.0 in). Male with the hind tibia and tarsi clothed with long thick pile. It has a grey-brown body. Forewing with a diffused dark mark above the centre of vein 1; an oblique postmedial line pale inwardly, red brown outwardly; a submarginal series of black specks. Hindwing with postmedial and diffused submarginal lines. Some specimens have a black spot above inner margin of forewing before the middle.
Larva pale yellowish ochreous, with darker lines. Two subdorsal lines present and with a sublateral series of olivaceous spots. The 4th and 5th somites are edged behind with black. Food... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kanha National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 2 | Daintree National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Springbrook National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 4 | Lamington National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jamshedpur | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 2 | Prayagraj | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 3 | Brisbane | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 4 | Colombo [Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte] | 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | |
| 5 | Tuen Mun | 🇨🇳 China | |
| 6 | Kochi | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 7 | Pune | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 8 | Chennai | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 9 | Kolkata | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 10 | Bengaluru | 🇮🇳 India |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Sugarcane Looper sighting in Hyderabad on a given day, based on 5 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 272nd most-seen of the 318 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
September–October and December
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Sugarcane Looper in Hyderabad on a given day, against under 5% in January–August and November, the lowest months.
Between 7 and 10 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Sugarcane Looper sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is mostly seen at night.
11th of 16
Of the 16 cities where we can rate Sugarcane Looper sightings, Hyderabad ranks 11th at under 5%. The best odds are in Jamshedpur (India, about 30%), Prayagraj (India, about 10%) and Brisbane (Australia, about 10%).
Same family: Erebidae
The closest relatives of the Sugarcane Looper that you can see in Hyderabad (family Erebidae, Underwing, Tiger, Tussock, and Allied Moths) are Sandalwood Defoliator (about 20%), Dot-Underwing Moth (about 10%) and Banyan Tussock Moth (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Sugarcane Looper is recorded against all the insects logged in Hyderabad (5 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.
