Ichneutica atristriga
In 3 days ~50% in a week ~80%
Ichneutica atristriga is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is endemic to New Zealand and is found throughout the North, South and Stewart Islands. The larval hosts likely include tussock grasses included Poa cita, P. colensoi and Festuca novae-zelandiae. Larvae have been reared on species in the genera Bromus and Festuca. The adults of this species are on the wing from November to May. I. atristriga can possibly be confused with the smaller species I. propria. However I. atristriga has thorax and forewings that have a pinkish tinge and I. propria has a dark streak on the discal part of the forewing which I. atristriga lacks. A study has indicated that the population numbers of this species have decreased.
This species was described by Francis Walker in 1865 from specimens collected in Nelson and named Xylina atristriga. The male lectotype specimen is held at the Natural History Museum, London. In 1988 J. S. Dugdale, in his catalogue of New Zealand Lepidoptera, placed this species within the Tmetolophota genus. In 2019 Robert Hoare undertook a major review of New Zealand Noctuidae. During this review the genus Ichneutica was greatly expanded and the genus Tmetolophota... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rakiura National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 2 | Fiordland National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 3 | Arthur's Pass National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 4 | Egmont National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand |
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report an Ichneutica atristriga sighting in Rakiura National Park on a given day, based on 116 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 12th most-seen of the 118 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 50%, and over a week to about 80%, if each day is a fresh chance.
January
In that month about 40% of wildlife watchers report an Ichneutica atristriga in Rakiura National Park on a given day, against under 5% in April to November, the lowest months.
Between 5 and 8 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Ichneutica atristriga sightings with a recorded time, and about half of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is most active around dawn and dusk.
Yes
Of the 4 parks where we can rate Ichneutica atristriga sightings, Rakiura National Park has the highest daily chance: about 20%. Next come Fiordland National Park (New Zealand, about 10%) and Arthur's Pass National Park (New Zealand, about 10%).
Same genus: Ichneutica
The closest relatives of the Ichneutica atristriga that you can see in Rakiura National Park (genus Ichneutica) are New Zealand Cutworm (about 30%), Ichneutica mollis (about 20%) and Common Dotted Wainscot (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Ichneutica atristriga is recorded against all the insects logged in Rakiura National Park (116 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.
