Slowpoke Moth

Slowpoke Moth

Athetis tarda

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at New York City

In 3 days ~10%

14 Verified sightings at New York City
6 In 1 park From 2019 to 2026
August Best month
🌙 Nocturnal When it's spotted

About the Slowpoke Moth

Athetis tarda, the slowpoke moth, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is found in North America, where it has been recorded from New Hampshire to Florida and from Missouri to Texas. The habitat consists of oak woodlands.

The wingspan is 23–35 mm. Adults are on wing from late March to May and again from late August to September. The larvae feed on dead Quercus leaves. Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Great Smoky Mountains National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%

More parks will be added in future updates.

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Baltimore 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
2 Washington 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
3 Boston 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
4 Philadelphia 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
5 New York City 🇺🇸 United States
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Slowpoke Moth in New York City?

Rare

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Slowpoke Moth sighting in New York City on a given day, based on 14 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 880th most-seen of the 1623 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Slowpoke Moth in New York City?

Any time of year

In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Slowpoke Moth in New York City on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.

What time of day is best to see a Slowpoke Moth?

Between 7 and 10 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Slowpoke Moth sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is mostly seen at night.

Is New York City the best place to see a Slowpoke Moth?

Among the best

Of the 5 cities where we can rate Slowpoke Moth sightings, New York City ranks 5th at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Baltimore (United States, under 5%), Washington (United States, under 5%) and Boston (United States, under 5%).

Which relatives of the Slowpoke Moth live in New York City?

Same family: Noctuidae

The closest relatives of the Slowpoke Moth that you can see in New York City (family Noctuidae, Cutworm Moths and Allies) are Large Yellow Underwing (about 10%) and American Dagger (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Slowpoke Moth sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Slowpoke Moth is recorded against all the insects logged in New York City (14 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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