Hemlock Looper Moth

Hemlock Looper Moth

Lambdina fiscellaria

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Portland

In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%

5 Verified sightings at Portland
77 In all 4 parks From 2019 to 2026
September Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Hemlock Looper Moth

Lambdina fiscellaria, the mournful thorn or hemlock looper, is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is found in North America, from the Pacific to the Atlantic coast and from Canada south to Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and California.

The wingspan is about 35 mm. The moth flies from August to early October depending on the location. The larvae feed on hemlock, balsam fir, white spruce, oak and other hardwoods. Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Gros Morne National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~30%
2 Acadia National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
3 Great Smoky Mountains National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
4 Olympic National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Vancouver 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
2 Portland 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
3 Seattle 🇺🇸 United States
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Hemlock Looper Moth in Portland?

Rare

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Hemlock Looper Moth sighting in Portland on a given day, based on 5 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 466th most-seen of the 507 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.

When is the best time to see a Hemlock Looper Moth in Portland?

Any time of year

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

What time of day is best to see a Hemlock Looper Moth?

Between 8 and 11 am

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Hemlock Looper Moth sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Portland the best place to see a Hemlock Looper Moth?

2nd of 3

Of the 3 cities where we can rate Hemlock Looper Moth sightings, Portland ranks 2nd at under 5%. The best odds are in Vancouver (Canada, about 10%).

Which relatives of the Hemlock Looper Moth live in Portland?

Same family: Geometridae

The closest relatives of the Hemlock Looper Moth that you can see in Portland (family Geometridae, Geometer Moths) are Brown-Lined Looper (about 10%), Tissue Moth (about 10%) and Small Dusty Wave (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Hemlock Looper Moth sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Hemlock Looper Moth is recorded against all the insects logged in Portland (5 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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