Harrisina metallica
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~50%
Harrisina metallica, the western grapeleaf skeletonizer, is a species of moth of the family Zygaenidae. It is found in the Southwestern United States, from California to Texas, north to Colorado and Utah and in northern Mexico.
The wingspan is 22–30 millimetres (0.87–1.18 in). Adults are on wing from April to October depending on the location. The larvae feed on grapes and species of Parthenocissus. Some choose to call these larvae "grape worms" because of their impeccable taste for such a sweet fruit they're laid upon by their parents. The caterpillar also have stinging hairs that can cause rash or allergic reaction.
They are in fact natures pest to precious to many grape vineyards affecting the crops yield for the season. The problem can be simply taken care of by bacteria-based insecticide, organically certified. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saguaro National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
More parks will be added in future updates.
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Western Grapeleaf Skeletonizer Moth sighting in Las Vegas on a given day, based on 31 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 23rd most-seen of the 111 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
May and June
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Western Grapeleaf Skeletonizer Moth in Las Vegas on a given day, against under 5% in November to March, the lowest months. Those are among Las Vegas's driest months, with almost no rain against 25 mm in February.
Between 9 am and noon
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Western Grapeleaf Skeletonizer Moth sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 6 cities where we can rate Western Grapeleaf Skeletonizer Moth sightings, Las Vegas has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Mesa (United States, about 10%) and Phoenix (United States, under 5%).
Same order: Lepidoptera
The closest relatives of the Western Grapeleaf Skeletonizer Moth that you can see in Las Vegas (order Lepidoptera, Butterflies and Moths) are White-Lined Sphinx (about 20%), Painted Lady (about 10%) and Fiery Skipper (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Western Grapeleaf Skeletonizer Moth is recorded against all the insects logged in Las Vegas (31 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.
