Xanthorhoe semifissata
In 3 days ~60% in a week ~80%
Xanthorhoe semifissata, commonly known as the barred pink looper, is a moth in the family Geometridae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found throughout the country although it is much less common in the mountains in the south and west of the South Island. The larval host plants include Nasturtium officinale as well as species in the genus Cardamine. Adult moths inhabit shrubs at the edge of native forest.
This species was first described by Francis Walker in 1862 using specimens collected in Nelson by T. R. Oxley and named Cohemia semifissata. In 1939 Louis Beethoven Prout placed this species in the genus Larentia. In 1971 J. S. Dugdale placed this species in the genus Helastia. The genus Helastia was restricted by Craw in 1987 placing this species into the genus Xanthorhoe. This placement was accepted in 1988 by Dugdale. The lectotype specimen is held at the Natural History Museum, London.
George Hudson described this species in 1898 as follows: The expansion of the wings is about an inch. The fore-wings of the male are pale pink; there are several wavy brown lines near the base, a very distinct brown central band, narrowest near the middle,... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rakiura National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 2 | Fiordland National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand |
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Barred Pink Carpet sighting in Rakiura National Park on a given day, based on 28 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 10th most-seen of the 118 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 60%, and over a week to about 80%, if each day is a fresh chance.
June
In that month about 50% of wildlife watchers report a Barred Pink Carpet in Rakiura National Park on a given day, against under 5% in February, April and September, the lowest months.
Between 9 pm and midnight
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Barred Pink Carpet 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 Barred Pink Carpet sightings, Rakiura National Park has the highest daily chance: about 20%. Next come Fiordland National Park (New Zealand, about 10%).
Same family: Geometridae
The closest relatives of the Barred Pink Carpet that you can see in Rakiura National Park (family Geometridae, Geometer Moths) are Forest Semilooper (about 40%), Common Forest Looper (about 30%) and Flax Window-Maker (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Barred Pink Carpet is recorded against all the insects logged in Rakiura National Park (28 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.
