Pyrgotis plagiatana
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~60%
Pyrgotis plagiatana is a species of moth of the family Tortricidae. This species was first described by Francis Walker in 1863. It is endemic to New Zealand and has been observed in the North, South and Stewart Islands, Big South Cape, Auckland and Campbell Islands and possibly in the Snares. This species inhabits native scrub and forest in coastal to subalpine habitats. Larvae are hosted by a wide variety of plants and feed from a shelter formed from a loose gallery of silk placed between host plant leaves. The larvae pupate within this shelter. The adult moth is extremely variable in appearance and is most commonly observed on the wing from September until June.
This species was first described by Francis Walker in 1863 and originally named Conchylis plagiatana. Walker, in the same publication, thinking he was describing new species, also named this species Conchylis recusana and Paedisca luciplagana. In 1875 Cajetan von Felder and Alois Friedrich Rogenhofer, also thinking they were describing new species, named this species Grapholitha punana and Grapholitha xylinana. All these names were synonymised by Edward Meyrick in 1881. In 1901 Meyrick, again believing he was... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Egmont National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 2 | Rakiura National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Painted Wedge sighting in Rakiura National Park on a given day, based on 9 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 64th most-seen of the 118 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 60%, if each day is a fresh chance.
May
In that month about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Painted Wedge in Rakiura National Park on a given day, against under 5% in January, March and July–September, the lowest months.
Between 7 and 10 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Painted Wedge 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.
Among the best
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Painted Wedge sightings, Rakiura National Park ranks 2nd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Egmont National Park (New Zealand, about 10%).
Same family: Tortricidae
The closest relatives of the Painted Wedge that you can see in Rakiura National Park (family Tortricidae, Tortricid Leafroller Moths) are Blackheaded Leafroller (about 20%), Capua semiferana (about 10%) and Lyre Moth (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Painted Wedge is recorded against all the insects logged in Rakiura National Park (9 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.
