Spilosoma congrua
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
The agreeable tiger moth (Spilosoma congrua) is a medium-sized moth belonging to the family Erebidae, subfamily Arctiinae, commonly known as the tiger moths. It was first described by the British entomologist Francis Walker in 1855 and is one of the most common white tiger moths found in North America. The species is easily recognised by its bright white wings, pronounced black eyes, white abdomen with rows of black spots, and a distinctive orange or yellow "bib" on the thorax just behind the head. These features separate it from its close relatives, the Virginia tiger moth (Spilosoma virginica) and the dubious tiger moth (Spilosoma dubia).
The agreeable tiger moth ranges across most of the contiguous United States, southern Canada, and there is some evidence of disjunct populations in India. It inhabits open woodlands, meadows, fields, roadsides, and suburban gardens. The larvae are generalist feeders, consuming a wide variety of herbaceous plants, including many common weeds and garden vegetables, which sometimes brings the species into mild conflict with agriculture. Adults are nocturnal and are attracted to lights. The species has one to three generations per year depending on latitude and climate. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Great Smoky Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Shenandoah National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Acadia National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Boston | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | New York City | 🇺🇸 United States |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report an Agreeable Tiger Moth sighting in Washington on a given day, based on 77 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 338th most-seen of the 1807 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.
June to August
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report an Agreeable Tiger Moth in Washington on a given day, against under 5% in September to May, the lowest months.
Between 8 and 11 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Agreeable Tiger Moth 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 3 cities where we can rate Agreeable Tiger Moth sightings, Washington has the highest daily chance: under 5%. Next come Boston (United States, under 5%) and New York City (United States, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Agreeable Tiger Moth is recorded against all the insects logged in Washington (77 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.
