Geranium Plume Moth

Geranium Plume Moth

Amblyptilia pica

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at San Diego

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

15 Verified sightings at San Diego
5 In 1 park From 2019 to 2026
August Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Geranium Plume Moth

Amblyptilia pica, the geranium plume moth, is a moth of the family Pterophoridae. The species was first described by Baron Walsingham in 1880. It is found in western North America from Alaska to California, inland to Alberta and Kansas. It is also found in the north-eastern United States and Ontario.

The wingspan is 18–23 millimetres (0.71–0.91 in). Adults have dark grey forewings mottled with black. They are on wing in spring and fall and have been recorded feeding on the flower nectar of Salix species. The larvae feed on Scrophulariaceae, Geraniaceae, Primulaceae, Labiatae and Caprifoliaceae species, including Castilleja species, Pedicularis furbishiae and Scrophularia californica, Penstemon whippleanus. and mine the leaves. The species overwinters as an adult. Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Banff National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%

More parks will be added in future updates.

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Edmonton 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
2 San Francisco 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
3 San Diego 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
4 Los Angeles 🇺🇸 United States
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Geranium Plume Moth in San Diego?

Rare

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Geranium Plume Moth sighting in San Diego on a given day, based on 15 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 372nd most-seen of the 693 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 Geranium Plume Moth in San Diego?

Any time of year

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

What time of day is best to see a Geranium Plume Moth?

Between 2 and 5 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Geranium Plume Moth sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is San Diego the best place to see a Geranium Plume Moth?

Among the best

Of the 4 cities where we can rate Geranium Plume Moth sightings, San Diego ranks 3rd at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Edmonton (Canada, under 5%) and San Francisco (United States, under 5%).

Where does the Geranium Plume Moth sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Geranium Plume Moth is recorded against all the insects logged in San Diego (15 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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