Ardices canescens
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~50%
Ardices canescens, the dark-spotted tiger moth or light ermine moth, is a moth in the family Erebidae that is found across most of Australia. It originally was included in the genus Spilosoma, but later the generic status of Ardices was proven.
The larvae are polyphagous, and are known to feed on Bidens pilosa, Helianthus annuus, Taraxacum officinale, Ipomoea batatas, Alcea rosea, Rosa odorata, Plantago, Ricinus communis and Tradescantia albiflora. The polyembryonic parasitoid wasp Copidosoma floridanum sometimes uses this species of caterpillar as a host. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Booderee National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Blue Mountains National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Lamington National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 4 | Springbrook National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 5 | Great Otway National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sydney | 🇦🇺 Australia |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Light Ermine Moth sighting in Springbrook National Park on a given day, based on 32 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 91st most-seen of the 429 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
August
In that month about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Light Ermine Moth in Springbrook National Park on a given day, against under 5% in January, May–July and October, the lowest months. That is one of Springbrook National Park's driest months, with about 45 mm of rain against 210 mm in February.
Between 7 and 10 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Light Ermine Moth sightings with a recorded time, and about half of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is seen both by day and at night.
Among the best
Of the 5 parks where we can rate Light Ermine Moth sightings, Springbrook National Park ranks 4th at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Booderee National Park (Australia, about 10%), Blue Mountains National Park (Australia, about 10%) and Lamington National Park (Australia, about 10%).
Same family: Erebidae
The closest relatives of the Light Ermine Moth that you can see in Springbrook National Park (family Erebidae, Underwing, Tiger, Tussock, and Allied Moths) are Eilema plana (about 20%), Asian Magpie Moth (about 20%) and Jute Looper (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Light Ermine Moth is recorded against all the insects logged in Springbrook National Park (32 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.
