Parapoynx allionealis
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
Parapoynx allionealis, the watermilfoil leafcutter moth, is a moth in the family Crambidae. It was described by Francis Walker in 1859. It is found in North America, where it has been recorded from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Manitoba, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Brunswick, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Nova Scotia, Ohio, Oklahoma, Ontario, Quebec, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.
Adults have been recorded on wing year round in the southern part of the range. The larvae feed on various aquatic plants, including Nymphaea odorata, Potamogeton natans, Potamogeton pusillus, Myriophyllum spicatum, Myriophyllum heterophyllum, Hydrochtoa caroliniensis, Eleocharis vivipara, Utricularia inflata and Salvinia rotundifolia. They live in a portable case made of plant material. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Big Cypress National Preserve | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Everglades National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Padre Island National Seashore | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Acadia National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Watermilfoil Leafcutter Moth sighting in Padre Island National Seashore on a given day, based on 8 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 52nd most-seen of the 74 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.
July
In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Watermilfoil Leafcutter Moth in Padre Island National Seashore on a given day, against under 5% in April–June, September and November–February, the lowest months.
Between 9 pm and midnight
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Watermilfoil Leafcutter Moth sightings with a recorded time, and about 7 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is mostly seen at night.
3rd of 4
Of the 4 parks where we can rate Watermilfoil Leafcutter Moth sightings, Padre Island National Seashore ranks 3rd at about 10%. The best odds are in Big Cypress National Preserve (United States, about 20%) and Everglades National Park (United States, about 10%).
Same family: Crambidae
The closest relatives of the Watermilfoil Leafcutter Moth that you can see in Padre Island National Seashore (family Crambidae, Crambid Snout Moths) are Spotted Beet Webworm Moth (about 10%), Garden Webworm Moth (about 10%) and Genista Broom Moth (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Watermilfoil Leafcutter Moth is recorded against all the insects logged in Padre Island National Seashore (8 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.
