Xyridacma ustaria
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
Xyridacma ustaria is a moth of the family Geometridae. It was first described by Francis Walker in 1863 from specimens obtained in Auckland. It is endemic to New Zealand. X. ustaria has been found on Codfish Island in May with larvae recorded on Pittosporum tenuifolium. It has also been found at Paroa in February as well as in Canterbury. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rakiura National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 2 | Fiordland National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Auckland | 🇳🇿 New Zealand |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Tarata Looper sighting in Fiordland National Park on a given day, based on 9 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 128th 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.
March–April and December–January
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Tarata Looper in Fiordland National Park on a given day, against under 5% in February and May–November, the lowest months.
Between 6 and 9 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Tarata Looper sightings with a recorded time, and about half of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is most active around dawn and dusk.
Among the best
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Tarata Looper sightings, Fiordland 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 genus: Xyridacma
The closest relatives of the Tarata Looper that you can see in Fiordland National Park (genus Xyridacma) are Large Hebe Looper (about 10%) and Five Finger Looper (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Tarata Looper is recorded against all the insects logged in Fiordland National Park (9 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.
