Castnia licus
In 3 days ~40% in a week ~70%
Telchin licus, the banana stem borer, is a moth of the Castniidae family. It is native to South America, where it is found from Colombia, Venezuela and the Guianas, throughout the Amazon basin in Brazil and Peru. It has also been recorded as an introduced species in Hawaii.
The length of the forewings is 64–80 mm. The larvae feed on Saccharum officinarum, Musa, Heliconia and Ichnosiphon species. It is considered a pest species. Young larvae make a small cavity and then tunnel into the heart of the cane of the host plant. They tunnel upwards and downwards, and create a shelter in the rootstock where they rest. Pupation takes place in the rootstock or at the base of the cane. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manu National Park | 🇵🇪 Peru | |
| 2 | Tambopata National Reserve | 🇵🇪 Peru | |
| 3 | Arenal Volcano National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Castnia licus sighting in Manu National Park on a given day, based on 23 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 43rd most-seen of the 366 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 40%, and over a week to about 70%, if each day is a fresh chance.
September and December
In those months about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Castnia licus in Manu National Park on a given day, against under 5% in February and May–June, the lowest months.
Between 11 am and 2 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Castnia licus sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 3 parks where we can rate Castnia licus sightings, Manu National Park has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Tambopata National Reserve (Peru, about 10%) and Arenal Volcano National Park (Costa Rica, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Castnia licus is recorded against all the insects logged in Manu National Park (23 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.
