Australian Bag Moth

Australian Bag Moth

Cebysa leucotelus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Sydney

In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%

54 Verified sightings at Sydney
April Best month

About the Australian Bag Moth

Cebysa leucotelus, the Australian bagmoth or lichen bag moth, is a moth of the Psychidae family. It is the only species in the genus Cebysa. It is found in New Zealand and the southern half of Australia (Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia).

The larvae build a protective bag like the other bag moths in the family Psychidae, and feed on lichen and algae. Lichen bag moths arrived in New Zealand from Australia in 1981 and have been gradually spreading across the country. Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability

More parks will be added in future updates.

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Auckland 🇳🇿 New Zealand
~10%
2 Hobart 🇦🇺 Australia
~10%
3 Melbourne 🇦🇺 Australia
~10%
4 Sydney 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing an Australian Bag Moth in Sydney?

Rare

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report an Australian Bag Moth sighting in Sydney on a given day, based on 54 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 168th most-seen of the 742 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.

When is the best time to see an Australian Bag Moth in Sydney?

March and April

In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report an Australian Bag Moth in Sydney on a given day, against under 5% in May to February, the lowest months.

Is Sydney the best place to see an Australian Bag Moth?

4th of 4

Of the 4 cities where we can rate Australian Bag Moth sightings, Sydney ranks 4th at under 5%. The best odds are in Auckland (New Zealand, about 10%), Hobart (Australia, about 10%) and Melbourne (Australia, about 10%).

Which relatives of the Australian Bag Moth live in Sydney?

Same family: Psychidae

The closest relatives of the Australian Bag Moth that you can see in Sydney (family Psychidae, Bagworm Moths) are Saunders' Case Moth (about 10%) and Ribbed Case Moth (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Australian Bag Moth sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Australian Bag Moth is recorded against all the insects logged in Sydney (54 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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