Pholodes sinistraria
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Pholodes sinistraria, the sinister moth or frilled bark moth, is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species was first described by Achille Guenée in 1857. It is found in the eastern parts of Australia. The wingspan is about 50 mm for males and 60 mm for females.
The larvae feed on a wide range of plants, including Rosa odorata, Camellia japonica, Persea americana, Citrus unshiu, Cassia species, Ricinus communis, Acacia species and Acmena smithii. Furthermore, it is considered a pest on Macadamia integrifolia. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blue Mountains National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Royal National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Sinister Moth sighting in Melbourne on a given day, based on 33 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 307th 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.
January and October
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Sinister Moth in Melbourne on a given day, against under 5% in February–September and November–December, the lowest months.
Between 9 am and noon
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Sinister Moth sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
3rd of 3
Of the 3 cities where we can rate Sinister Moth sightings, Melbourne ranks 3rd at under 5%. The best odds are in Sydney (Australia, about 10%) and Brisbane (Australia, about 10%).
Same family: Geometridae
The closest relatives of the Sinister Moth that you can see in Melbourne (family Geometridae, Geometer Moths) are Apple Looper (about 20%), Plantain Moth (about 20%) and Red-Lined Looper (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Sinister Moth is recorded against all the insects logged in Melbourne (33 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.
