Hygraula nitens
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Hygraula nitens, the pond moth or Australian water moth, is a species of moth in the family Crambidae. It was described by Arthur Gardiner Butler in 1880. It is found in New Zealand and most of Australia, including Tasmania.
The wingspan is about 25 mm. The caterpillars of this species live underwater. The larvae feed on Potamogeton crispus and Zostera species. They also feed on other alien macrophytes such as Hydrilla verticillata, Lagarosiphon major, and Ceratophyllum demersum. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fiordland National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 2 | Great Otway National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Blue Mountains National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Pond Moth sighting in Sydney on a given day, based on 13 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 520th 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 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 Pond Moth in Sydney on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.
Between 9 pm and midnight
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Pond Moth sightings with a recorded time, and about 7 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is mostly seen at night.
5th of 5
Of the 5 cities where we can rate Pond Moth sightings, Sydney ranks 5th at under 5%. The best odds are in Auckland (New Zealand, about 10%), Perth (Australia, about 10%) and Melbourne (Australia, under 5%).
Same family: Crambidae
The closest relatives of the Pond Moth that you can see in Sydney (family Crambidae, Crambid Snout Moths) are Grass Webworm Moth (about 10%) and Hawaiian Beet Webworm Moth (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Pond Moth is recorded against all the insects logged in Sydney (13 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.
