Malacosoma incurva
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~30%
Malacosoma incurva, the southwestern tent caterpillar moth, is a species of moth of the family Lasiocampidae. It was first described by Henry Edwards in 1882. It is found in south-western North America, including Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada and Utah.
The wingspan is about 27 mm. The larvae feed on Populus fremontii, Salix and Prunus species. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zion National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Grand Canyon National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Joshua Tree National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Southwestern Tent Caterpillar Moth sighting in Joshua Tree National Park on a given day, based on 9 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 121st most-seen of the 190 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
March to May
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Southwestern Tent Caterpillar Moth in Joshua Tree National Park on a given day, against under 5% in June to February, the lowest months.
Between 9 am and noon
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Southwestern Tent Caterpillar Moth sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 3 parks where we can rate Southwestern Tent Caterpillar Moth sightings, Joshua Tree National Park ranks 3rd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Zion National Park (United States, about 10%) and Grand Canyon National Park (United States, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Southwestern Tent Caterpillar Moth is recorded against all the insects logged in Joshua Tree 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.
