Cocoa Tussock Moth

Cocoa Tussock Moth

Orgyia postica

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
at Taipei

In 3 days ~40% in a week ~70%

284 Verified sightings at Taipei
332 In 1 park From 2019 to 2026
January Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Cocoa Tussock Moth

Orgyia postica, the cocoa tussock moth or hevea tussock moth, is a species of moth of the subfamily Lymantriinae of the family Erebidae found in the Oriental tropics of India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Borneo, Java, New Guinea, and Taiwan. It was described by Francis Walker in 1855.

The wingspan is 20–30 mm for males. In the male, the head, thorax, and abdomen are brownish. Forewings are brown with an indistinct oblique sub-basal line. Waved antemedial and postmedial lines approach each other at the lower angle of the cell. The area between them is slightly tinged with bluish grey and has a waved dark line edged with white on each side of the discocellulars. Two indistinct, waved submarginal lines are present. The apex is slightly tinged with grey and has some subapical dark streaks. Hindwings are dark brown. The female is wingless.

Larvae are yellowish and clothed sparsely with brown hair. One dorsal and two lateral brown bands are seen. Paired tufts of hair are on the first and eleventh somites, projecting forward and backward. Lateral tufts of grey hair project from the fourth and fifth somites. Dorsal tufts of yellow hair are on the fourth to seventh somites. The head... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Taroko National Park 🇹🇼 Taiwan
~60%

More parks will be added in future updates.

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Taipei 🇹🇼 Taiwan
~20%
2 Taichung 🇹🇼 Taiwan
~20%
3 Hong Kong 🇨🇳 China
~10%
4 Tuen Mun 🇨🇳 China
~10%
5 Naha 🇯🇵 Japan
~10%
6 Kaohsiung 🇹🇼 Taiwan
~10%
7 Tainan 🇹🇼 Taiwan
~10%
8 Manila 🇵🇭 Philippines
~10%
9 Bengaluru 🇮🇳 India
~10%
10 Guangzhou 🇨🇳 China
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Cocoa Tussock Moth in Taipei?

Possible

About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Cocoa Tussock Moth sighting in Taipei on a given day, based on 284 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 27th most-seen of the 765 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 40%, and over a week to about 70%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Cocoa Tussock Moth in Taipei?

January

In that month about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Cocoa Tussock Moth in Taipei on a given day, against about 10% in June to September, the lowest months. That is one of Taipei's driest months, with about 95 mm of rain against 270 mm in June.

What time of day is best to see a Cocoa Tussock Moth?

Between 1 and 4 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Cocoa Tussock Moth sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Taipei the best place to see a Cocoa Tussock Moth?

Yes

Of the 10 cities where we can rate Cocoa Tussock Moth sightings, Taipei has the highest daily chance: about 20%. Next come Taichung (Taiwan, about 20%) and Hong Kong (China, about 10%).

Which relatives of the Cocoa Tussock Moth live in Taipei?

Same family: Erebidae

The closest relatives of the Cocoa Tussock Moth that you can see in Taipei (family Erebidae, Underwing, Tiger, Tussock, and Allied Moths) are Asota heliconia (about 20%), Chrysaeglia magnifica (about 20%) and Banyan Tussock Moth (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Cocoa Tussock Moth sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Cocoa Tussock Moth is recorded against all the insects logged in Taipei (284 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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