Spilosoma vestalis
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
Spilosoma vestalis, the Vestal tiger-moth, is a moth in the family Erebidae. It was described by Alpheus Spring Packard in 1864. It is found along the coast of western North America, from California north to the Kitsap Peninsula in Washington and western Idaho.
The length of the forewings is 19–26 mm. Adults are on wing from May to June. The larvae feed on various plants, including Alnus rubra and Quercus garryana. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Redwood National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Yosemite National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Los Angeles | 🇺🇸 United States |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Vestal Tiger Moth sighting in Yosemite National Park on a given day, based on 6 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 174th most-seen of the 227 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.
May and June
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Vestal Tiger Moth in Yosemite National Park on a given day, against under 5% in July to April, the lowest months. Those are among Yosemite National Park's driest months, with about 40 mm of rain a month against 220 mm in January.
Between 10 am and 1 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Vestal Tiger Moth sightings with a recorded time, and about 7 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is seen both by day and at night.
2nd of 2
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Vestal Tiger Moth sightings, Yosemite National Park ranks 2nd at under 5%. The best odds are in Redwood National Park (United States, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Vestal Tiger Moth is recorded against all the insects logged in Yosemite 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.
