Eulithis pyraliata
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~50%
The barred straw (Eulithis pyraliata) is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species was first described by Michael Denis and Ignaz Schiffermüller in 1775. It is sometimes placed in the genus Gandaritis. It is found throughout the Palearctic region, including Britain and Ireland, and also the Near East.
The wingspan is 33–38 mm. The forewings are bright yellow with two narrow brown fascia. The hindwings are cream coloured but are rarely seen due to the characteristic resting position (see spinach moth).The larva is naked, green with two narrow white dorsal stripes.
The species flies at night from June to August [1] and is attracted to light. The larva feeds on bedstraw. The species overwinters as an egg. ^ The flight season refers to the British Isles. This may vary in other parts of the range. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mercantour National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 2 | Cairngorms National Park | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 3 | Ecrins National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 4 | Wadden Sea National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 5 | Bavarian Forest National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 6 | Pyrénées National Park | 🇫🇷 France |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Barred Straw sighting in Cairngorms National Park on a given day, based on 15 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 104th most-seen of the 300 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.
July
In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Barred Straw in Cairngorms National Park on a given day, against under 5% in September to May, the lowest months.
Between 10 pm and 1 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Barred Straw sightings with a recorded time, and about half of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is seen both by day and at night.
Among the best
Of the 6 parks where we can rate Barred Straw sightings, Cairngorms National Park ranks 2nd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Mercantour National Park (France, about 10%).
Same genus: Eulithis
The closest relatives of the Barred Straw that you can see in Cairngorms National Park (genus Eulithis) are Northern Spinach (about 20%) and Chevron Moth (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Barred Straw is recorded against all the insects logged in Cairngorms National Park (15 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.
