Episynlestes albicaudus
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~60%
Episynlestes albicaudus is a species of Australian damselfly in the family Synlestidae, commonly known as a southern whitetip. It is endemic to south-eastern Queensland and north-eastern New South Wales, where it inhabits streams and pools in rainforests.
Episynlestes albicaudus is a large, very slender damselfly, coloured a dull bronze-black with white markings. It often perches with its wings outspread. The species was described by Robin Tillyard in 1913 as Synlestes albicauda. It is now placed in the genus Episynlestes, and the species name has been adjusted to albicaudus to match the masculine gender of the genus.
The genus name Episynlestes is derived from the Greek ἐπί (epi, "upon", "over" or "additional to"), combined with Synlestes, a genus name derived from the Greek σύν (syn, "together") and Lestes, itself derived from the Greek λῃστής (lēstēs, "robber").
The species name albicaudus is derived from the Latin albus ("white") and cauda ("tail"), referring to its long white appendages. List of Odonata species of Australia Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lamington National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Springbrook National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Southern Whitetip sighting in Springbrook National Park on a given day, based on 25 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 62nd 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 60%, if each day is a fresh chance.
November to March
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Southern Whitetip in Springbrook National Park on a given day, against under 5% in May to September, the lowest months. Those are among Springbrook National Park's wettest months, with about 160 mm of rain a month against 45 mm in August.
Between noon and 3 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Southern Whitetip sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
2nd of 2
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Southern Whitetip sightings, Springbrook National Park ranks 2nd at about 10%. The best odds are in Lamington National Park (Australia, about 20%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Southern Whitetip is recorded against all the insects logged in Springbrook National Park (25 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.
