Epiphryne verriculata
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~50%
Epiphryne verriculata, the cabbage tree moth, is a species of geometer moth (Geometridae). These moths only occur in New Zealand, where they are widespread. As larvae they exclusively feed on several species of cabbage trees (Cordyline). Their wings have an unusual pattern that allows them to camouflage it against dead leaves of cabbage trees. The species was first described in 1875 by Baron Cajetan von Felder and Alois Friedrich Rogenhofer. The larvae are bright green, but become brownish as they get older. The female lays eggs on the leaves, on which it also hides during day time. After hatching, the larvae feed on live leaves, creating distinctive notches and channels in the leaves. They take several months to mature into adults. The larvae are known be parasitised by insects such as braconid wasps and bristle flies.
Epiphryne verriculata was first described by Baron Cajetan von Felder & Alois Friedrich Rogenhofer in 1875 under the name Cidaria verriculata. The species was later moved to the genus Panopaea in 1884, then to Pancyma in 1886 and then to Venusia in 1917, with these changes all being made by British entomologist Edward Meyrick. In 1964, the species was... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rakiura National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 2 | Egmont National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Auckland | 🇳🇿 New Zealand |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Cabbage Tree Moth sighting in Egmont National Park on a given day, based on 8 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 123rd most-seen of the 191 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
January, May and November
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Cabbage Tree Moth in Egmont National Park on a given day, against under 5% in February–April and June–October, the lowest months.
Between 8 and 11 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Cabbage Tree Moth sightings with a recorded time, and about half of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is seen both by day and at night.
Among the best
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Cabbage Tree Moth sightings, Egmont National Park ranks 2nd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Rakiura National Park (New Zealand, about 10%).
Same family: Geometridae
The closest relatives of the Cabbage Tree Moth that you can see in Egmont National Park (family Geometridae, Geometer Moths) are Forest Semilooper (about 20%), Oblique-Waved Fern Looper (about 20%) and Common Forest Looper (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Cabbage Tree Moth is recorded against all the insects logged in Egmont National Park (8 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.
