Samia cynthia
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~30%
Samia cynthia, the ailanthus silkmoth, is a saturniid moth, used to produce silk fabric but not as domesticated as the silkworm, Bombyx mori. The moth has very large wings of 113–125 mm (4.4–4.9 in), with a quarter-moon shaped spot on both the upper and lower wings, whitish and yellow stripes and brown background. There are eyespots on the outer forewings. The species was first described by Dru Drury in 1773.
The common name, ailanthus silkmoth, refers to the host plant Ailanthus. There is a subspecies, S. cynthia ricini in India and Thailand that feeds upon the leaves of castor bean (Ricinus communis), and is known for the production of eri silk, and is often referred to by the common name eri silkmoth.
The eri silk worm is the only completely domesticated silkworm other than Bombyx mori. The silk is extremely durable, but cannot be easily reeled off the cocoon and is thus spun like cotton or wool. Peigler & Naumann (2003), in their revision of the genus Samia, listed material of true Samia cynthia examined as follows:
Asia: China (Zhejiang, Shanghai, Jiangxi, Jiangsu, Shandong, Beijing, Shanxi, Liaoning, Heilongjiang); Korea... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
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More parks will be added in future updates.
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report an Ailanthus Silkmoth sighting in Milan on a given day, based on 13 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 172nd most-seen of the 351 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.
May and July–August
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report an Ailanthus Silkmoth in Milan on a given day, against under 5% in June and September–April, the lowest months.
Among the best
Of the 3 cities where we can rate Ailanthus Silkmoth sightings, Milan ranks 2nd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Turin (Italy, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Ailanthus Silkmoth is recorded against all the insects logged in Milan (13 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.
