Tatosoma tipulata
In 3 days ~40% in a week ~60%
Tatosoma tipulata, also known as the kāmahi green spindle, is a species of moth in the family Geometridae. It was first described by Francis Walker in 1862. It is endemic to New Zealand and occurs in the North, South and Stewart Islands. This species inhabits native bush. The larvae have been recorded as feeding on Pterophylla racemosa, Nothofagus cliffortioides and Podocarpus totara. Adult moths are most commonly observed on the wing from September until March. Adults are nocturnal and are slightly attracted to light. They have also been collected via sugar traps. During the day adults can often be observed resting, camouflaged against moss and lichens, on the trunks of trees.
This species was first described by Francis Walker in 1862 and named Cidaria tipulata using a specimen collected either at Hawke's Bay or Taupō by William Colenso. Walker, thinking he was describing a new species, also named this moth Cidaria inclinataria. In 1874 Arthur Gardiner Butler placed this species, then known as Cidaria agrionata var. tipulata, in the genus Tatosoma. This species was again described by Cajetan von Felder and Alois Friedrich Rogenhofer in 1875 and named Sauris mistata.... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rakiura National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 2 | Egmont National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 3 | Fiordland National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Kamahi Green Spindle sighting in Rakiura National Park on a given day, based on 13 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 53rd most-seen of the 118 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.
January
In that month about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Kamahi Green Spindle in Rakiura National Park on a given day, against under 5% in February, April and June–September, the lowest months.
Between 11 pm and 2 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Kamahi Green Spindle sightings with a recorded time, and about 7 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is seen both by day and at night.
Yes
Of the 3 parks where we can rate Kamahi Green Spindle sightings, Rakiura National Park has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Egmont National Park (New Zealand, about 10%) and Fiordland National Park (New Zealand, about 10%).
Same family: Geometridae
The closest relatives of the Kamahi Green Spindle that you can see in Rakiura National Park (family Geometridae, Geometer Moths) are Forest Semilooper (about 40%), Common Forest Looper (about 30%) and Barred Pink Carpet (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Kamahi Green Spindle is recorded against all the insects logged in Rakiura National Park (13 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.
