Panthea acronyctoides
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
Panthea acronyctoides, the black zigzag or tufted spruce caterpillar, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by Francis Walker in 1861. It is found in North America from Newfoundland to British Columbia and adjacent northern states, south in the west to Colorado, south in the east to New England and Kentucky.
The wingspan is 30–35 mm. The moth flies from May to August depending on the location. The larvae feed on balsam fir, eastern hemlock, eastern larch, pines, and spruces. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Acadia National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Great Smoky Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Black Zigzag Moth sighting in Great Smoky Mountains National Park on a given day, based on 7 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 513th most-seen of the 822 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
July
In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Black Zigzag Moth in Great Smoky Mountains National Park on a given day, against under 5% in August to June, the lowest months.
Between 9 pm and midnight
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Black Zigzag 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.
2nd of 2
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Black Zigzag Moth sightings, Great Smoky Mountains National Park ranks 2nd at under 5%. The best odds are in Acadia National Park (United States, about 10%).
Same family: Noctuidae
The closest relatives of the Black Zigzag Moth that you can see in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (family Noctuidae, Cutworm Moths and Allies) are Beautiful Wood-Nymph (about 20%), Hebrew Moth (about 10%) and American Dagger (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Black Zigzag Moth is recorded against all the insects logged in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (7 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.
