Spodoptera litura
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~60%
Spodoptera litura, otherwise known as the tobacco cutworm or cotton leafworm, is a nocturnal moth in the family Noctuidae. S. litura is a serious polyphagous pest in Asia, Oceania, and the Indian subcontinent that was first described by Johan Christian Fabricius in 1775. Its common names reference two of the most frequent host plants of the moth. In total, 87 species of host plants that are infested by S. litura are of economic importance. The species parasitize the plants as larvae through vigorous eating patterns, oftentimes leaving the leaves completely destroyed. The moth destroys economically important agricultural crops and decreases yield in some plants completely. Their potential impact on the many different cultivated crops, and subsequently the local agricultural economy, has led to serious efforts to control the pests.
S. litura is often confused with its close relative, Spodoptera littoralis. These two species are hard to discriminate between because the larvae and adult forms are identical. Inspecting the genitalia is the most certain way to tell the two species apart.
There are slight but obvious differences in morphology... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kanha National Park | 🇮🇳 India | |
| 2 | Daintree National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Springbrook National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 4 | Blue Mountains National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 5 | Lamington National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report an Oriental Leafworm Moth sighting in Daintree National Park on a given day, based on 22 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 151st most-seen of the 856 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 60%, if each day is a fresh chance.
April
In that month about 30% of wildlife watchers report an Oriental Leafworm Moth in Daintree National Park on a given day, against under 5% in October, the lowest month.
Between 7 and 10 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Oriental Leafworm Moth sightings with a recorded time, and about half of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is seen both by day and at night.
Among the best
Of the 5 parks where we can rate Oriental Leafworm Moth sightings, Daintree National Park ranks 2nd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Kanha National Park (India, about 10%).
Same genus: Spodoptera
The closest relatives of the Oriental Leafworm Moth that you can see in Daintree National Park (genus Spodoptera, Armyworm Moths) are Lawn Armyworm Moth (about 10%), African Armyworm Moth (about 10%) and Lily Caterpillar Moth (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Oriental Leafworm Moth is recorded against all the insects logged in Daintree National Park (22 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.
