Acharia stimulea
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
The saddleback caterpillar (Acharia stimulea, formerly Sibine stimulea) is the larva of a species of moth native to eastern North America. It is also found in Mexico. The species belongs to the family of slug caterpillars, Limacodidae.
The larva (caterpillar) is primarily green with brown at both ends and a prominent white-ringed brown dot in the center which resembles a saddle. It has a pair of fleshy horns at both ends. These and most of the rest of the body bear urticating hairs that secrete an irritating venom. Contact with the hairs causes a painful, swollen rash and sometimes nausea in humans. In some cases, more severe reactions to the venom can occur, including a systemic condition called erucism or acute urticaria, for which severe symptoms may include migraines, gastrointestinal symptoms, asthma complications, anaphylactic shock, rupturing of erythrocytes, and hemorrhaging. The hairs should be removed from the skin immediately to prevent more venom spread. The cocoon may also have irritating hairs, and hairs from the larva can fall on surrounding objects.
The larvae feed on plants. In Florida and Alabama in the United States, it feeds on palms such as the Manila palm (Adonidia merrillii). Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Great Smoky Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Point Pelee National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 3 | Shenandoah National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Everglades National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baltimore | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Philadelphia | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Washington | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Miami | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | New York City | 🇺🇸 United States |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Saddleback Caterpillar Moth sighting in Washington on a given day, based on 110 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 275th 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.
August and September
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Saddleback Caterpillar Moth in Washington on a given day, against under 5% in October to July, the lowest months.
Between 9 am and noon
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Saddleback Caterpillar Moth sightings with a recorded time, and about 7 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
3rd of 5
Of the 5 cities where we can rate Saddleback Caterpillar Moth sightings, Washington ranks 3rd at under 5%. The best odds are in Baltimore (United States, about 10%) and Philadelphia (United States, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Saddleback Caterpillar Moth is recorded against all the insects logged in Washington (110 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.
