Phaeoura quernaria
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
Phaeoura quernaria, the oak beauty, is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species was first described by James Edward Smith in 1797. It is found in eastern North America, occurring as far west as east-central Alberta. The habitat consists of aspen-cherry shrubland.
The wingspan is 37–56 mm. Adults are on wing from February to October in the southern part of the range, where two generations per year occur. The larvae feed on various hardwood trees, including Betula papyrifera, Salix, Populus and Prunus species. They are grey to brown or greenish. Larvae can be found from June to October. The species overwinters in the pupal stage. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Acadia National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report an American Oak Beauty sighting in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge on a given day, based on 5 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 165th most-seen of the 189 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
February and March
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report an American Oak Beauty in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge on a given day, against under 5% in April to January, the lowest months. Those are among Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge's driest months, with about 60 mm of rain a month against 210 mm in September.
Between midnight and 3 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most American Oak Beauty 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.
Yes
Of the 2 parks where we can rate American Oak Beauty sightings, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge has the highest daily chance: under 5%. Next come Acadia National Park (United States, under 5%).
Same order: Lepidoptera
The closest relatives of the American Oak Beauty that you can see in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge (order Lepidoptera, Butterflies and Moths) are Great Southern White (about 50%), Gulf Fritillary (about 50%) and White Peacock (about 40%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the American Oak Beauty is recorded against all the insects logged in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge (5 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.
