Zanclognatha laevigata
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
Zanclognatha laevigata, the variable zanclognatha, is a litter moth of the family Erebidae. It was described by Augustus Radcliffe Grote in 1872. It is found in North America from Manitoba to Nova Scotia, south to Florida and Missouri.
The wingspan is about 30 millimetres (1.2 in). There is one generation per year. The larvae feed on detritus, including dead leaves. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Great Smoky Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Shenandoah National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Variable Fan-Foot sighting in Shenandoah National Park on a given day, based on 6 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 571st 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.
July and August
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Variable Fan-Foot in Shenandoah National Park on a given day, against under 5% in September to June, the lowest months.
Between 8 and 11 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Variable Fan-Foot sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is mostly seen at night.
2nd of 2
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Variable Fan-Foot sightings, Shenandoah National Park ranks 2nd at under 5%. The best odds are in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (United States, about 10%).
Same family: Erebidae
The closest relatives of the Variable Fan-Foot that you can see in Shenandoah National Park (family Erebidae, Underwing, Tiger, Tussock, and Allied Moths) are Spongy Moth (about 40%), Isabella Tiger Moth (about 30%) and Hickory Tussock Moth (about 30%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Variable Fan-Foot is recorded against all the insects logged in Shenandoah National Park (6 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.
