Cosmodes elegans
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~50%
Cosmodes elegans, the green blotched moth, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is found in New South Wales, Norfolk Island, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, Western Australia and New Zealand. This species was first described by Edward Donovan in 1805 under the name Phalaena elegans. Robert Hoare was unable to locate the type specimen for his 2017 publication.
Cosmodes elegans is the only species of the genus Cosmodes. Donovan originally described the species as follows: First wings ferruginous, with three greenish spots edged with silver, the anterior one hooked : posterior wings reddish.
The caterpillars of this species grow to a length of about 3 cm (1.2 in) and are bright green with dark spiracles on both sides. Adult moths are brown with sinuous green markings on their forewings, white hindwings fading to light brown along the edges, and a hairy crest just behind their heads. The adult's wingspan is about 4 cm (1.6 in). The green blotched moth has a distinctively shaped forewing and this and the characteristic patterns on its forewings ensures that this species is unlikely to be confused with any other.
The green blotched... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Booderee National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Blue Mountains National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Lamington National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 4 | Springbrook National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 5 | Great Otway National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 6 | Royal National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Green-Blotched Moth sighting in Melbourne on a given day, based on 207 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 77th 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 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
August to June
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Green-Blotched Moth in Melbourne on a given day, against under 5% in July, the lowest month.
Between 7 and 10 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Green-Blotched Moth sightings with a recorded time, and about half of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is seen both by day and at night.
Among the best
Of the 4 cities where we can rate Green-Blotched Moth sightings, Melbourne ranks 2nd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Brisbane (Australia, about 10%).
Same family: Noctuidae
The closest relatives of the Green-Blotched Moth that you can see in Melbourne (family Noctuidae, Cutworm Moths and Allies) are Bogong Moth (about 20%), Australian Grapevine Moth (about 10%) and Brown Cutworm (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Green-Blotched Moth is recorded against all the insects logged in Melbourne (207 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.
