Xylophanes tersa
In 3 days ~50% in a week ~80%
Xylophanes tersa, the tersa sphinx, is a species of moth of the family Sphingidae. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1771. It is found from the United States (Massachusetts south to southern Florida, west to Nebraska, New Mexico and southern Arizona), through Mexico, the West Indies and Central America and into parts of South America (including Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil). An occasional stray can be found as far north as Canada.
The larvae feed on Borreria, Catalpa, Manettia, and Pentas species, and Spermacoce glabra, Hamelia patens, Hedyotis nigricans, Heimia salicifolia, Psychotria microdon, Psychotria nervosa, and Inga vera. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jaragua National Park | 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic | |
| 2 | Main Ridge Forest Reserve | 🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago | |
| 3 | Everglades National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Big Cypress National Preserve | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Braulio Carrillo National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 6 | Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | La Amistad International Park (Panama) | 🇵🇦 Panama | |
| 8 | Cumbres de Monterrey National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | São Luís | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 2 | João Pessoa | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 3 | Manaus | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 4 | Fortaleza | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 5 | Miami | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Houston | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Dallas | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Orlando | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 9 | Austin | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Rio de Janeiro | 🇧🇷 Brazil |
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Tersa Sphinx sighting in São Luís on a given day, based on 14 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 30th most-seen of the 93 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 50%, and over a week to about 80%, if each day is a fresh chance.
March and June
In those months about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Tersa Sphinx in São Luís on a given day, against under 5% in May and August–February, the lowest months. Those are among São Luís's wettest months, with about 240 mm of rain a month against 15 mm in October.
Between 10 am and 1 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Tersa Sphinx sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is seen both by day and at night.
Yes
Of the 17 cities where we can rate Tersa Sphinx sightings, São Luís has the highest daily chance: about 20%. Next come João Pessoa (Brazil, about 20%) and Manaus (Brazil, about 10%).
Same family: Sphingidae
The closest relatives of the Tersa Sphinx that you can see in São Luís (family Sphingidae, Sphinx Moths) are Tetrio Sphinx (about 30%), Streaked Sphinx (about 20%) and Pachylia syces (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Tersa Sphinx is recorded against all the insects logged in São Luís (14 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.
