Lophocampa caryae
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~50%
Lophocampa caryae, the hickory tiger moth, hickory tussock moth, or hickory halisidota, is a moth in the family Erebidae and the tribe Arctiini, the tiger moths. The species is widely distributed in the eastern half of North America. In other species in this family, the caterpillars acquire chemical defenses from their host plants, so they are potentially toxic or unpalatable, but despite anecdotal claims that this species may also be venomous, no venom has yet been isolated or identified; adverse reactions are characterized as irritant contact dermatitis.
There is one generation per year. The larva, a caterpillar, is completely covered in long, hairlike setae arranged in spreading tufts. Most are white, but there are black tufts along the middle of the back, and four long black hair pencils, two near the front, and two near the back. There are black spots along the sides, and the head capsule is black. The hairs cause itchy rashes (contact dermatitis) in many people, particularly those prone to allergies, and may resemble exposure to urushiol. They are microscopically barbed and may rarely cause serious medical complications if they are transferred from... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Acadia National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Shenandoah National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Point Pelee National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 4 | Great Smoky Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Hickory Tussock Moth sighting in Great Smoky Mountains National Park on a given day, based on 43 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 117th most-seen of the 822 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.
October
In that month about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Hickory Tussock Moth in Great Smoky Mountains National Park on a given day, against under 5% in December to July, the lowest months.
Between 10 am and 1 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Hickory Tussock Moth sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
4th of 4
Of the 4 parks where we can rate Hickory Tussock Moth sightings, Great Smoky Mountains National Park ranks 4th at about 10%. The best odds are in Acadia National Park (United States, about 30%), Shenandoah National Park (United States, about 30%) and Point Pelee National Park (Canada, about 20%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Hickory Tussock Moth is recorded against all the insects logged in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (43 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.
