Ischalis variabilis
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
Ischalis variabilis, also known as oblique-waved fern looper, is a species of moth in the family Geometridae first described by William Warren in 1895. It is endemic to New Zealand, where it is widespread in the North and South islands.
This species was first described by William Warren in 1895 and originally named Polygonia variabilis. In 1970 Robert W. Poole placed this species in the genus Ischalis. There are two to three distinct transverse lines on the forewing. Adults have been recorded year round, except June on the North Island. The main flight period is September to March. There seem to be two generations per year, but may breed continuously during mild winters. The adult moths can be collected by beating the skirt of the dead fronds of their host species.
The eggs are usually deposited in January and February. The larvae have been recorded feeding on Cyathea and Dicksonia species including Cyathea smithii, Cyathea dealbata and Dicksonia squarrosa. Full-grown larvae are about 32 mm long. The larvae feed at night. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Egmont National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 2 | Abel Tasman National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 3 | Fiordland National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Auckland | 🇳🇿 New Zealand |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report an Oblique-Waved Fern Looper sighting in Fiordland National Park on a given day, based on 6 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 171st most-seen of the 201 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.
February and March
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report an Oblique-Waved Fern Looper in Fiordland National Park on a given day, against under 5% in April to January, the lowest months.
Between 8 and 11 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Oblique-Waved Fern Looper sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is mostly seen at night.
3rd of 3
Of the 3 parks where we can rate Oblique-Waved Fern Looper sightings, Fiordland National Park ranks 3rd at about 10%. The best odds are in Egmont National Park (New Zealand, about 20%) and Abel Tasman National Park (New Zealand, about 10%).
Same genus: Ischalis
The closest relatives of the Oblique-Waved Fern Looper that you can see in Fiordland National Park (genus Ischalis, Fern Loopers) are Zigzag Fern Looper (about 10%) and Striped Fern Looper (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Oblique-Waved Fern Looper is recorded against all the insects logged in Fiordland National Park (6 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.
