Bryophila domestica
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~50%
The marbled beauty (Cryphia domestica) is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by Johann Siegfried Hufnagel in 1766. It is an abundant species throughout most of Europe east to the Urals, and it is probably the most common lichenivorous moth of the Palearctic realm.
This is quite a small species with a wingspan of 22–30 mm. The forewings are white with dark grey cryptic markings, giving excellent camouflage against the lichens on which the eggs are laid. The intensity of the markings vary considerably, with darker individuals predominating in urban areas, an example of industrial melanism. A significant proportion of individuals also have orange or yellow markings. The hindwings are whitish with a broad grey band at the margin. The adults fly at night in July and August [1] and are attracted to light.
It is found across Europe, where it occurs as far south as Sicily and in the north to Gotland. The eastern distribution is uncertain but it may reach central Asia. It rises over 2000 metres above sea level in the Alps. Forewing cream white with slaty-grey markings; orbicular and claviform (club shaped) stigmata... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pyrénées National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 2 | Wadden Sea National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liverpool | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 2 | Manchester | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 3 | Birmingham | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 4 | London | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 5 | Leeds | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 6 | Vienna | 🇦🇹 Austria |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Marbled Beauty sighting in Birmingham on a given day, based on 41 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 203rd most-seen of the 811 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
August
In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Marbled Beauty in Birmingham on a given day, against under 5% in October to May, the lowest months.
Between 10 pm and 1 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Marbled Beauty sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is seen both by day and at night.
3rd of 6
Of the 6 cities where we can rate Marbled Beauty sightings, Birmingham ranks 3rd at about 10%. The best odds are in Liverpool (United Kingdom, about 30%) and Manchester (United Kingdom, about 10%).
Same family: Noctuidae
The closest relatives of the Marbled Beauty that you can see in Birmingham (family Noctuidae, Cutworm Moths and Allies) are Large Yellow Underwing (about 20%), Silver Υ (about 20%) and Knot Grass Moth (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Marbled Beauty is recorded against all the insects logged in Birmingham (41 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.
