Ochrogaster lunifer
In 3 days ~40% in a week ~60%
Ochrogaster lunifer, the bag-shelter moth or processionary caterpillar, is a member of the family Notodontidae. The species was first described by Gottlieb August Wilhelm Herrich-Schäffer in 1855. Both the larval and adult forms have hairs that cause irritation of the skin (urticaria). The adult moth has a woolly appearance and its wings can grow to be about 5.5 cm across. The larvae feed on Grevillea striata at night and reside in brown silken bag nests during the day.
Ochrogaster lunifer has a one-year lifecycle, living communally with siblings and conspecifics from egg to pre-pupa. In October to November (Spring), adult moths emerge from the pupae underground, mate and the females lay an egg mass containing 150–550 eggs on the trunk or in the canopy of a host tree. Host trees include species of wattles and eucalypts. The eggs hatch after approximately 3–4 weeks. The caterpillars moult 7 times giving 8 instars which develop from December to May (Summer-Autumn). First instars do not feed and stay within the protection of the egg mass, other early instars feed on leaves in their host tree during the day and later instars feed at night. Throughout their development, the... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Cape Range | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Hattah-Kulkyne National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 4 | Ningaloo Marine Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 5 | Grampians National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 6 | Blue Mountains National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brisbane | 🇦🇺 Australia |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Bag-Shelter Moth sighting in Ningaloo Marine Park on a given day, based on 7 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 4th most-seen of the 13 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 40%, and over a week to about 60%, if each day is a fresh chance.
February and October
In those months about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Bag-Shelter Moth in Ningaloo Marine Park on a given day, against under 5% in March–April, July–September and November–January, the lowest months.
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Bag-Shelter Moth sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
4th of 6
Of the 6 parks where we can rate Bag-Shelter Moth sightings, Ningaloo Marine Park ranks 4th at about 10%. The best odds are in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park (Australia, about 20%), Cape Range (Australia, about 20%) and Hattah-Kulkyne National Park (Australia, about 20%).
Same order: Lepidoptera
The closest relatives of the Bag-Shelter Moth that you can see in Ningaloo Marine Park (order Lepidoptera, Butterflies and Moths) are Vine Hawkmoth (about 30%), Caper White (about 20%) and Lime Swallowtail (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Bag-Shelter Moth is recorded against all the insects logged in Ningaloo Marine Park (7 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.
