Leucorrhinia dubia
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~50%
The white-faced darter or small whiteface (Leucorrhinia dubia) is a dragonfly belonging to the genus Leucorrhinia in the family Libellulidae, characterised by red and black markings and a distinctive white patch on the head. It is found in wetlands and peat bogs from northern Europe eastwards to Siberia, and the adults are active from around April till September, which is known as the "flight period". It breeds in acidic bodies of water, laying its eggs in clumps of sphagnum moss that provide a safe habitat for larval development. The larvae are particularly vulnerable to predation by fish, and so are usually found in lakes where fish are not present. L. dubia is listed as a species of least concern (LC) by the IUCN Red List, however, it is potentially threatened by habitat destruction, pollution, and climate change.
This species has a predominantly black body, usually 33–37 mm (1.3–1.5 in) in length - the abdomen is 21–27 mm (0.83–1.06 in) long and the hindwing is 23–28 mm (0.91–1.10 in) long. Mature males have striking red and orange markings on the abdomen and thorax which become darker with age, whereas young males and females have pale yellow markings. All individuals... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vanoise National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 2 | Cairngorms National Park | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 3 | Bavarian Forest National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 4 | Pyrénées National Park | 🇫🇷 France |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Small Whiteface sighting in Cairngorms National Park on a given day, based on 21 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 94th 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.
June
In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Small Whiteface in Cairngorms National Park on a given day, against under 5% in August to April, the lowest months.
Between 11 am and 2 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Small Whiteface sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
2nd of 4
Of the 4 parks where we can rate Small Whiteface sightings, Cairngorms National Park ranks 2nd at about 10%. The best odds are in Vanoise National Park (France, about 20%).
Same family: Libellulidae
The closest relatives of the Small Whiteface that you can see in Cairngorms National Park (family Libellulidae, Skimmers) are Black Meadowhawk (about 30%), Four-Spotted Skimmer (about 20%) and Common Darter (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Small Whiteface is recorded against all the insects logged in Cairngorms National Park (21 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.
