Usta terpsichore
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
Usta terpsichore, the cavorting emperor, is a species of moth in the family Saturniidae. It is found in Angola, Burkina Faso, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The larvae feed on Commiphora caryaefolia, Sclerocarya afra, Melia azedarach and Schinus molle. Fully grown larvae are about 80 mm long.
The larvae are used as food by locals. They are rich in iron, copper, zinc, thiamine and riboflavin. It is also relatively high in calcium and phosphorus compared to many insects. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | iSimangaliso Wetland Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | Kruger National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Cavorting Emperor sighting in Kruger National Park on a given day, based on 39 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 120th most-seen of the 748 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.
November
In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Cavorting Emperor in Kruger National Park on a given day, against under 5% in May to October, the lowest months.
Between 5 and 8 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Cavorting Emperor sightings with a recorded time, and about half of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is most active around dawn and dusk.
Among the best
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Cavorting Emperor sightings, Kruger National Park ranks 2nd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in iSimangaliso Wetland Park (South Africa, about 10%).
Same family: Saturniidae
The closest relatives of the Cavorting Emperor that you can see in Kruger National Park (family Saturniidae, Emperor and Giant Silk Moths) are Speckled Emperor (about 10%), Mopane Worm (about 10%) and Eastern Marbled Emperor (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Cavorting Emperor is recorded against all the insects logged in Kruger National Park (39 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.
