Euclea delphinii
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~50%
The spiny oak slug (Euclea delphinii) is the larval form (caterpillar) of a moth in the family Limacodidae. There is one generation a year in most of the northern parts of its range, with caterpillars seen from late June to October (Wagner 2005). Two generations or more from Missouri south.
Eggs are laid singly or in small clusters on leaves (Wagner 2005). Euclea delphinii is the only species of its genus to exist in West Virginia (USDA 2022). Euclea caterpillar larvae are variable in colour, with the most common colouration being yellowish green, with bright red, square subdorsal markings- making this a distinct ID feature for this species. Orange hues are also common, alongside the red square subdorsal markings.The larva is flattened and ovoid in outline, with spiny tubercules along the back and sides. These are venomous, producing symptoms in humans that vary from mild itching and burning to more serious reactions that require medical attention (Florida Poison Information Center 2015). The sides have craters ringed with black or white along them. This species has 8 instars in total, with the first instar being a small, whitish larva with subdorsal... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Big Cypress National Preserve | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Great Smoky Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Everglades National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Shenandoah National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Acadia National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montreal | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 2 | Miami | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Washington | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Spiny Oak-Slug Moth sighting in Great Smoky Mountains National Park on a given day, based on 36 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 138th most-seen of the 822 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
May to September
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Spiny Oak-Slug Moth in Great Smoky Mountains National Park on a given day, against under 5% in October to April, the lowest months.
Between 9 pm and midnight
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Spiny Oak-Slug Moth sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is seen both by day and at night.
Among the best
Of the 5 parks where we can rate Spiny Oak-Slug Moth sightings, Great Smoky Mountains National Park ranks 2nd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Big Cypress National Preserve (United States, about 10%).
Same family: Limacodidae
The closest relatives of the Spiny Oak-Slug Moth that you can see in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (family Limacodidae, Slug Caterpillar Moths) are Yellow-Shouldered Slug Moth (about 10%), Saddleback Caterpillar Moth (about 10%) and Skiff Moth (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Spiny Oak-Slug Moth is recorded against all the insects logged in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (36 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.
