Scolypopa australis
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
Scolypopa australis, commonly known as the passionvine hopper, is a species of insect in the Ricaniidae family of planthoppers (Fulgoroidea) that is native to Australia and was introduced to New Zealand. Despite its name, they are found not only on passion vines, but on many plant species, including kiwifruit and the lantana. Brown with partly transparent wings, they are 5–6 mm long as adults and 5 mm as nymphs. As an adult they look somewhat like a moth to the untrained eye, and walk "like a ballerina". The nymphs are wingless and are informally known as fluffy bums. When sufficiently aroused they will hop off their plant "with a 'snap'". Like all planthoppers they suck plant sap. This leaves a honeydew secretion which bees gather.
They were first recorded in New Zealand in 1878, where they are among over 40 species of planthopper, mostly native, but including the introduced Siphanta acuta (green planthoppers), Achilus flammeus (red fingernail bugs) and Anzora unicolor (grey planthoppers), all from Australia. They may be a vector of the 'sudden decline' disease caused by Phytoplasma australiense that has affected the native cabbage tree (Cordyline australis), and... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Abel Tasman National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 2 | Egmont National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 3 | Lamington National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 4 | Royal National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 5 | Blue Mountains National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 6 | Great Otway National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 7 | Springbrook National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Passionvine Hopper sighting in Great Otway National Park on a given day, based on 15 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 135th most-seen of the 418 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
In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Passionvine Hopper in Great Otway National Park on a given day, against under 5% in May and July–December, the lowest months.
Between 10 am and 1 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Passionvine Hopper sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
6th of 7
Of the 7 parks where we can rate Passionvine Hopper sightings, Great Otway National Park ranks 6th at about 10%. The best odds are in Abel Tasman National Park (New Zealand, about 20%), Egmont National Park (New Zealand, about 20%) and Lamington National Park (Australia, about 10%).
Same order: Hemiptera
The closest relatives of the Passionvine Hopper that you can see in Great Otway National Park (order Hemiptera, True Bugs, Hoppers, Aphids, and allies) are Alpine Hairy Cicada (about 10%), Orange Assassin Bug (about 10%) and Red-Eyed Firetail (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Passionvine Hopper is recorded against all the insects logged in Great Otway National Park (15 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.
