Echthromorpha intricatoria
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~30%
Echthromorpha intricatoria, also known as the cream-spotted ichneumon, is a common wasp found in Australia and New Zealand. It cannot sting and does not build nests, and is harmless to humans. The female injects eggs into pupae of moths and butterflies with the ovipositor, particularly favouring the Nymphalidae (admiral family). Metacrias huttoni has been shown to be a host species for E. intricatoria.
The body is mostly black with creamy plates on the sides of the abdomen. The clear wings have a span of around 3 centimetres (1.2 in). Antennae and legs are orange. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kosciuszko National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Great Otway National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Blue Mountains National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Cream-Spotted Ichneumon sighting in Melbourne on a given day, based on 105 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 131st most-seen of the 875 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
February, April–July and October–December
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Cream-Spotted Ichneumon in Melbourne on a given day, against under 5% in January, March and August–September, the lowest months.
Between 11 am and 2 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Cream-Spotted Ichneumon sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 4 cities where we can rate Cream-Spotted Ichneumon sightings, Melbourne ranks 2nd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Perth (Australia, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Cream-Spotted Ichneumon is recorded against all the insects logged in Melbourne (105 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.
