Epimecis hortaria
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
Epimecis hortaria, the tulip-tree beauty, is a moth species of the Ennominae subfamily found in North America. It is found throughout New England south to Florida and west to Texas and Missouri. It was first described by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1794. It can be seen flying from late March to early October. Adults are nocturnal and attracted to lights. The immature caterpillars can be found feeding on Magnolia, Asimina, Populus, Sassafras and Liriodendron. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Great Smoky Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Shenandoah National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Point Pelee National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Baltimore | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Philadelphia | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | New York City | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Tulip-Tree Beauty sighting in Washington on a given day, based on 329 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 98th most-seen of the 1807 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 40%, if each day is a fresh chance.
July
In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Tulip-Tree Beauty in Washington on a given day, against under 5% in September to March, the lowest months.
Between midnight and 3 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Tulip-Tree Beauty sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is seen both by day and at night.
Yes
Of the 4 cities where we can rate Tulip-Tree Beauty sightings, Washington has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Baltimore (United States, about 10%) and Philadelphia (United States, under 5%).
Same family: Geometridae
The closest relatives of the Tulip-Tree Beauty that you can see in Washington (family Geometridae, Geometer Moths) are Common Tan Wave (about 10%), Large Lace-Border Moth (about 10%) and Bent-Lined Carpet (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Tulip-Tree Beauty is recorded against all the insects logged in Washington (329 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.
