Lead-Coloured Drab

Lead-Coloured Drab

Orthosia populeti

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Helsinki

In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%

7 Verified sightings at Helsinki
April Best month

About the Lead-Coloured Drab

Orthosia populeti, the lead-coloured drab, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is found in Europe. The wingspan is 34–40 mm. The length of the forewings is 15–17 mm. Meyrick describes it -Antennae in male bipectinated. Forewings brown-grey, slightly purplish-tinged; first, median, and second lines somewhat darker, especially on costa; orbicular and reniform darker, outlined with pale; subterminal line pale greyish-ochreous, edged anteriorly in middle with two small red-brown or black marks. Hindwings grey. Larva pale green or greenish-whitish; dorsal, subdorsal, and spiracular lines whitish; head pale greenish-ochreous, more or less blackmarked. Orthosia populeti is difficult to certainly distinguish from its congener Orthosia incerta See Townsend et al.

The moth flies in one generation from the beginning of March to May [1]. The egg is greyish white with dark grey girdled dots. When full grown the caterpillar is whitish or yellowish green, but always whitish on the back: three white lines on the back, the central one rather broad; head ochreous brown with a blackish spot on each side.

The caterpillars mainly feed on aspen. Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability

More parks will be added in future updates.

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Helsinki 🇫🇮 Finland
<5%
2 Saint Petersburg 🇷🇺 Russia
<5%
3 Moscow 🇷🇺 Russia
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Lead-Coloured Drab in Helsinki?

Rare

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Lead-Coloured Drab sighting in Helsinki on a given day, based on 7 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 602nd most-seen of the 838 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 20%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Lead-Coloured Drab in Helsinki?

April

In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Lead-Coloured Drab in Helsinki on a given day, against under 5% in May to March, the lowest months.

Is Helsinki the best place to see a Lead-Coloured Drab?

Yes

Of the 3 cities where we can rate Lead-Coloured Drab sightings, Helsinki has the highest daily chance: under 5%. Next come Saint Petersburg (Russia, under 5%) and Moscow (Russia, under 5%).

Where does the Lead-Coloured Drab sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Lead-Coloured Drab is recorded against all the insects logged in Helsinki (7 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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