Amblyptilia pica
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
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 →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Banff National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada |
More parks will be added in future updates.
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Edmonton | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 2 | San Francisco | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | San Diego | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Los Angeles | 🇺🇸 United States |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Geranium Plume Moth sighting in San Francisco on a given day, based on 48 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 218th most-seen of the 737 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.
Any time of year
In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Geranium Plume Moth in San Francisco on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.
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.
Among the best
Of the 4 cities where we can rate Geranium Plume Moth sightings, San Francisco ranks 2nd at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Edmonton (Canada, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Geranium Plume Moth is recorded against all the insects logged in San Francisco (48 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.
