Fruit Tree Borer

Fruit Tree Borer

Maroga melanostigma

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Melbourne

In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%

25 Verified sightings at Melbourne
24 In all 3 parks From 2019 to 2026
December Best month
☀️🌙 Day & Night When it's spotted

About the Fruit Tree Borer

Maroga melanostigma, the fruit tree borer, is a moth of the family Xyloryctidae. It is native to Australia. The wingspan is about 40 mm. The larvae feed on a wide range of trees, including Acacia species, especially Acacia mearnsii. The species is considered a pest on Ulmus × hollandica 'Wredei', Platanus orientalis, various maple species and Rosaceae species such as Malus pumila, Prunus armeniaca, Prunus avium, Prunus persica and Rubus idaeus. Other recorded foodplants include Cassia species, Wisteria sinensis, Carya illinoensis, Ficus carica, Citrus species, Lantana camara and Vitis vinifera. Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Springbrook National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~10%
2 Blue Mountains National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~10%
3 Great Otway National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
~10%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Melbourne 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
2 Brisbane 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%
3 Sydney 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Fruit Tree Borer in Melbourne?

Rare

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Fruit Tree Borer sighting in Melbourne on a given day, based on 25 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 377th most-seen of the 875 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.

When is the best time to see a Fruit Tree Borer in Melbourne?

December and January

In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Fruit Tree Borer in Melbourne on a given day, against under 5% in February to November, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see a Fruit Tree Borer?

Between 7 and 10 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Fruit Tree Borer 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.

Is Melbourne the best place to see a Fruit Tree Borer?

Yes

Of the 3 cities where we can rate Fruit Tree Borer sightings, Melbourne has the highest daily chance: under 5%. Next come Brisbane (Australia, under 5%) and Sydney (Australia, under 5%).

Where does the Fruit Tree Borer sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Fruit Tree Borer is recorded against all the insects logged in Melbourne (25 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.

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