Megalopyge crispata
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
Megalopyge crispata, the black-waved flannel moth, crinkled flannel moth or white flannel moth, is a moth of the Megalopygidae family. It is found along the east coast of the United States, and as far inland as Oklahoma.
The wingspan of this moth is 25–40 mm. Adults are on the wing from May to October. There is one generation per year in the north, two or more in the south. The caterpillars feed on various trees and shrubs. The caterpillars produce a venom delivered through hollow urticating hairs that can penetrate the skin. This venom can cause pain, a burning sensation, lymphadenopathy, headache and inflammatory dermatitis. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Great Smoky Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Shenandoah National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Black-Waved Flannel Moth sighting in Shenandoah National Park on a given day, based on 8 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 447th most-seen of the 723 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
June and July
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Black-Waved Flannel Moth in Shenandoah National Park on a given day, against under 5% in August to May, the lowest months.
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Black-Waved Flannel Moth sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Black-Waved Flannel Moth sightings, Shenandoah National Park ranks 2nd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (United States, about 10%).
Same order: Lepidoptera
The closest relatives of the Black-Waved Flannel Moth that you can see in Shenandoah National Park (order Lepidoptera, Butterflies and Moths) are Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (about 50%), Spicebush Swallowtail (about 40%) and Spongy Moth (about 40%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Black-Waved Flannel Moth is recorded against all the insects logged in Shenandoah National Park (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.
