Malacosoma constricta
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
Malacosoma constricta, also known as the Pacific tent caterpillar, is a species of moth endemic to North America. Malacosoma constricta is known from California, Oregon, and Washington and is reported only on oaks. In California, subspecies M. constrictum austrinum is found from Santa Barbara County southward; M. constrictum constrictum occurs from Los Angeles County northward.
Larvae feed on leaves, often defoliating affected branches. Pacific tent caterpillars spin rudimentary tents that can be up to 10 cm (3.9 in) wide. The larvae feed in groups outside the tent, entering it only to molt. Pacific tent caterpillars have speckles on the sides, orange hairs on top and grayish or cream colored hairs on the sides. The head is dark blue. Eggs, laid along sticks in clumps, are golden yellow.
According to the U.S. Forest Service, "Other than obvious aesthetic impacts, tent caterpillars typically do not cause major damage on California oaks. When present in high numbers, caterpillars may be a nuisance." Western tent caterpillars and forest tent caterpillars are also present in California oak woodlands. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|
More parks will be added in future updates.
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sacramento | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | San Francisco | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Pacific Tent Caterpillar sighting in Sacramento on a given day, based on 36 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 131st most-seen of the 386 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 40%, if each day is a fresh chance.
March to May
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Pacific Tent Caterpillar in Sacramento on a given day, against under 5% in June to February, the lowest months.
Yes
Of the 2 cities where we can rate Pacific Tent Caterpillar sightings, Sacramento has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come San Francisco (United States, under 5%).
Same order: Lepidoptera
The closest relatives of the Pacific Tent Caterpillar that you can see in Sacramento (order Lepidoptera, Butterflies and Moths) are Pipevine Swallowtail (about 30%), Gulf Fritillary (about 30%) and Western Tiger Swallowtail (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Pacific Tent Caterpillar is recorded against all the insects logged in Sacramento (36 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.
