Old World Webworm

Old World Webworm

Hellula undalis

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Chennai

In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%

5 Verified sightings at Chennai
10 In 1 park From 2019 to 2026
July Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Old World Webworm

Hellula undalis, the cabbage webworm or Old World webworm, is a moth of the family Crambidae. It is a widespread species which is found from Europe across Asia to the Pacific. It was first described from Italy but it is a tropical or subtropical species only occasional in Europe.

The wingspan is about 18 mm. The forewings are greyish-brown with wavy grey markings, a curved pale subterminal patch and a kidney shaped mark at one third. The hindwings are pale, with the tip lighter. It is a pest of Brassica oleracea (cabbage) and Brassica rapa (turnip) Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Table Mountain National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%

More parks will be added in future updates.

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Valencia 🇪🇸 Spain
~30%
2 Rome 🇮🇹 Italy
~10%
3 Tel Aviv 🇮🇱 Israel
~10%
4 Porto 🇵🇹 Portugal
~10%
5 Barcelona 🇪🇸 Spain
~10%
6 Madrid 🇪🇸 Spain
<5%
7 Istanbul 🇹🇷 Turkey
<5%
8 Chennai 🇮🇳 India
<5%
9 Cape Town 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
10 Brisbane 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing an Old World Webworm in Chennai?

Rare

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report an Old World Webworm sighting in Chennai on a given day, based on 5 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 338th most-seen of the 376 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.

When is the best time to see an Old World Webworm in Chennai?

July

In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report an Old World Webworm in Chennai on a given day, against under 5% in August to June, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see an Old World Webworm?

Between 3 and 6 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Old World Webworm sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Chennai the best place to see an Old World Webworm?

8th of 10

Of the 10 cities where we can rate Old World Webworm sightings, Chennai ranks 8th at under 5%. The best odds are in Valencia (Spain, about 30%), Rome (Italy, about 10%) and Tel Aviv (Israel, about 10%).

Which relatives of the Old World Webworm live in Chennai?

Same family: Crambidae

The closest relatives of the Old World Webworm that you can see in Chennai (family Crambidae, Crambid Snout Moths) are Hawaiian Beet Webworm Moth (about 20%), Mung Bean Moth (about 10%) and Rice Leaf-Roller (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Old World Webworm sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Old World Webworm is recorded against all the insects logged in Chennai (5 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.

← Back to Chennai