Psaltoda moerens
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
Psaltoda moerens, commonly known as the redeye, is an Australian species of cicada. It is distributed through the south-east of Australia, from southern Queensland to South Australia, as well as Tasmania. Populations can vary greatly between years; one year they may be present in large numbers and the next they may be entirely absent. They feed primarily on eucalyptus but also on Angophora trees. As they feed on tree sap they expel small droplets of clear waste fluid. When numbers are high, this can form a constant stream.
The redeye was originally described by German naturalist Ernst Friedrich Germar in 1834 as Cicada moerens, and later transferred to the new genus Psaltoda, where it was designated the type species by Swedish entomologist Carl Stål.
Walter Wilson Froggatt reported that the common name was used by Sydney children in his 1907 work Australian Insects, referring to the colour of the ocelli. The typical wingspan is around 110–120 mm. The adult is a shiny black above and brown and finely hairy underneath. As the name implies, the eyes are a deep red colour, although pinkish- and brownish-eyed specimens are seen. Heard at any time of day... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Royal National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Blue Mountains National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Grampians National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 4 | Freycinet National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Redeye Cicada sighting in Sydney on a given day, based on 36 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 233rd 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.
November to January
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Redeye Cicada in Sydney on a given day, against under 5% in February to October, the lowest months.
Between 10 am and 1 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Redeye Cicada sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 2 cities where we can rate Redeye Cicada sightings, Sydney has the highest daily chance: under 5%. Next come Melbourne (Australia, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Redeye Cicada is recorded against all the insects logged in Sydney (36 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.
