Theretra capensis
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
Theretra capensis is a moth of the family Sphingidae. It is known from woodland and open habitats from the Cape to Zimbabwe, Zambia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Mozambique and East Africa. The length of the forewings is 44–52 mm.
The larvae feed on Vigna species. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Garden Route National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | Addo Elephant National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 3 | Kruger National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 4 | Table Mountain National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Johannesburg | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | Pretoria | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 3 | Cape Town | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Cape Hawkmoth sighting in Pretoria on a given day, based on 5 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 225th most-seen of the 274 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
October to December
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Cape Hawkmoth in Pretoria on a given day, against under 5% in January to September, the lowest months. Those are among Pretoria's wettest months, with about 90 mm of rain a month against almost none in July.
Between 8 and 11 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Cape Hawkmoth sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is seen both by day and at night.
2nd of 3
Of the 3 cities where we can rate Cape Hawkmoth sightings, Pretoria ranks 2nd at under 5%. The best odds are in Johannesburg (South Africa, about 10%).
Same family: Sphingidae
The closest relatives of the Cape Hawkmoth that you can see in Pretoria (family Sphingidae, Sphinx Moths) are Common Striped Hawkmoth (about 10%), Death's Head Hawkmoth (about 10%) and Comma Nephele (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Cape Hawkmoth is recorded against all the insects logged in Pretoria (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.
