Theretra capensis
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
Theretra capensis is a moth of the family Sphingidae. It is known from woodland and open habitats from the Cape to Zimbabwe, Zambia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Mozambique and East Africa. The length of the forewings is 44–52 mm.
The larvae feed on Vigna species. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Garden Route National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | Addo Elephant National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 3 | Kruger National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 4 | Table Mountain National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Johannesburg | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | Pretoria | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 3 | Cape Town | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Cape Hawkmoth sighting in Johannesburg on a given day, based on 14 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 107th most-seen of the 213 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.
November
In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Cape Hawkmoth in Johannesburg on a given day, against under 5% in March–April and June–August, the lowest months. That is one of Johannesburg's wettest months, with about 90 mm of rain against almost none in July.
Between 8 and 11 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Cape Hawkmoth sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is seen both by day and at night.
Yes
Of the 3 cities where we can rate Cape Hawkmoth sightings, Johannesburg has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Pretoria (South Africa, under 5%) and Cape Town (South Africa, under 5%).
Same family: Sphingidae
The closest relatives of the Cape Hawkmoth that you can see in Johannesburg (family Sphingidae, Sphinx Moths) are Death's Head Hawkmoth (about 20%), Mulberry Hawkmoth (about 10%) and Convolvulus Hawkmoth (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Cape Hawkmoth is recorded against all the insects logged in Johannesburg (14 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.
