Xestia ditrapezium
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
Xestia ditrapezium (triple-spotted clay) is a moth of the family Noctuidae found in most of Europe, northern Turkey, northern Iran, Transcaucasia, Caucasus, central Asia, from the Altai to Ussuri, Amur, Kuril Islands, northern Mongolia, Tibet, China, Korea, and Japan.
The wingspan is 35–47 mm. The forewing is darker than in Xestia triangulum Hufn., a smooth vinous brown; the dark markings are not so black; the hindwing is distinctly yellowish-tinged. Differences from X. triangulum: X. ditrapezium forewings on average are narrower (or longer). The ground color of the forewings is usually darker (red to violet-brown) and the color of the rear wing is a shade lighter. The hindwings are significantly lighter than the forewings. The collar is without contrasts, almost monochrome.
X. triangulum forewings on average are wider (or shorter). The ground color of the forewings is usually lighter (ochre to tawny or grayish brown); the color of the hindwings is usually slightly darker grey. The hindwings are about as light as the front wings. The lower part of the neck collar is grey, separated by a light line from the dark upper. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Snowdonia National Park | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 2 | Bavarian Forest National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 3 | Pyrénées National Park | 🇫🇷 France |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nizhny Novgorod | 🇷🇺 Russia | |
| 2 | Moscow | 🇷🇺 Russia |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Triple-Spotted Clay sighting in Bavarian Forest National Park on a given day, based on 5 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 964th most-seen of the 1115 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 Triple-Spotted Clay in Bavarian Forest National Park on a given day, against under 5% in August to May, the lowest months.
Between 6 and 9 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Triple-Spotted Clay 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.
2nd of 3
Of the 3 parks where we can rate Triple-Spotted Clay sightings, Bavarian Forest National Park ranks 2nd at under 5%. The best odds are in Snowdonia National Park (United Kingdom, about 10%).
Same genus: Xestia
The closest relatives of the Triple-Spotted Clay that you can see in Bavarian Forest National Park (genus Xestia) are Setaceous Hebrew Character (about 10%), Double Square-Spot (about 10%) and Square-Spot Rustic (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Triple-Spotted Clay is recorded against all the insects logged in Bavarian Forest National Park (5 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.
