Parallelia bistriaris
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Parallelia bistriaris, the maple looper moth, is a moth of the family Erebidae. The species was first described by Jacob Hübner in 1818. It is found in eastern North America. The wingspan is 33–43 mm (1.3–1.7 in). Adults are on wing from April to September. There is one generation per year.
The larvae feed on various trees, including birch, maple, and walnut. This species utilizes camouflage in both its larval and adult forms, resembling twigs and dead leaves, respectively. This species as an adult is most readily identified by its dark brown body, two parallel lighter lines going down the length of the body, and a grey edge that extends to the edge of the forewing, resembling fallen leaves. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Great Smoky Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Acadia National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Shenandoah National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baltimore | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Washington | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | New York City | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Montreal | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 5 | Philadelphia | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Toronto | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 7 | Boston | 🇺🇸 United States |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Maple Looper Moth sighting in Philadelphia on a given day, based on 6 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 557th most-seen of the 632 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.
August
In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Maple Looper Moth in Philadelphia on a given day, against under 5% in September to July, the lowest months.
Between 11 am and 2 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Maple Looper Moth sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is seen both by day and at night.
5th of 7
Of the 7 cities where we can rate Maple Looper Moth sightings, Philadelphia ranks 5th at under 5%. The best odds are in Baltimore (United States, about 10%), Washington (United States, under 5%) and New York City (United States, under 5%).
Same family: Erebidae
The closest relatives of the Maple Looper Moth that you can see in Philadelphia (family Erebidae, Underwing, Tiger, Tussock, and Allied Moths) are Giant Leopard Moth (about 10%), Isabella Tiger Moth (about 10%) and Green Cloverworm Moth (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Maple Looper Moth is recorded against all the insects logged in Philadelphia (6 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.
