Iberian Marbled White

Iberian Marbled White

Melanargia lachesis

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
at Barcelona

In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%

30 Verified sightings at Barcelona
712 In all 4 parks From 2019 to 2026
June Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Iberian Marbled White

Melanargia lachesis, the Iberian marbled white, is a butterfly species belonging to the family Nymphalidae. It can be found on the Iberian Peninsula and the south of France. The length of the forewings is 25–28 mm. Seitz- M. lachesis Hbn. (= nemausica Esp.) (38b). Lighter than galathea, even than the lightest forms of the same. The black discocellular anguliform spot of the forewing constricted where it is bent. Hindwing entirely white, apart from the interrupted submarginal band; the base very sparingly dusted, the markings of the underside however shine through in the male. In Spain, Portugal and South France. – The specimens with creamy yellow ground-colour, which are somewhat rarer than the chalky white canigulensis Obth.; from the Pyrenees.

The butterflies fly in one generation from June to August.They occur from the plain to about 1,600 meters above sea level. They prefer dry, flowering, natural meadows that can also be overgrown with bushes. The larvae feed on various grasses.

Butterflies of Europe Satyrinae of the Western Palearctic Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Aigüestortes National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
~40%
2 Sierra Nevada National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
~30%
3 Sierra de Guadarrama National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
~30%
4 Pyrénées National Park 🇫🇷 France
~10%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Barcelona 🇪🇸 Spain
~10%
2 Lisbon 🇵🇹 Portugal
<5%
3 Madrid 🇪🇸 Spain
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing an Iberian Marbled White in Barcelona?

With luck

About 10% of wildlife watchers report an Iberian Marbled White sighting in Barcelona on a given day, based on 30 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 127th most-seen of the 381 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 40%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see an Iberian Marbled White in Barcelona?

June

In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report an Iberian Marbled White in Barcelona on a given day, against under 5% in August to April, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see an Iberian Marbled White?

Between 10 am and 1 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Iberian Marbled White sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Barcelona the best place to see an Iberian Marbled White?

Yes

Of the 3 cities where we can rate Iberian Marbled White sightings, Barcelona has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Lisbon (Portugal, under 5%) and Madrid (Spain, under 5%).

Where does the Iberian Marbled White sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Iberian Marbled White is recorded against all the insects logged in Barcelona (30 verified sightings), 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.

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