Saturnia pyri
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
Saturnia pyri, the giant peacock moth, great peacock moth, giant emperor moth or Viennese emperor, is a Saturniid moth which is native to Europe. The species was first described by Michael Denis and Ignaz Schiffermüller in 1775. It is the largest European moth, with a wingspan reaching 15–20 cm (6–8 in).
The giant peacock moth has a range that includes the Iberian Peninsula, southern France, northern Hungary, central and southern Serbia, Croatia, Montenegro, southern and eastern Bulgaria, southern Greece southern Turkey, south Kyrgyzstan, western Syria, Lebanon, Israel, southern Romania, Russia, Ukraine, Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, North Macedonia and Italy and extends into Siberia and North Africa. It is absent from the UK, though a small handful of individuals have been recorded, likely of captive origin. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cévennes National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 2 | Triglav National Park | 🇸🇮 Slovenia | |
| 3 | Monfragüe National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 4 | Pyrénées National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 5 | Camargue | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 6 | Fertő-Hanság National Park | 🇭🇺 Hungary | |
| 7 | Sierra de Guadarrama National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Giant Peacock Moth sighting in Istanbul on a given day, based on 12 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 118th most-seen of the 266 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.
May
In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Giant Peacock Moth in Istanbul on a given day, against under 5% in July to March, the lowest months.
Between 10 pm and 1 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Giant Peacock Moth sightings with a recorded time, and about half of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is seen both by day and at night.
Among the best
Of the 5 cities where we can rate Giant Peacock Moth sightings, Istanbul ranks 2nd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Vienna (Austria, about 10%).
Same order: Lepidoptera
The closest relatives of the Giant Peacock Moth that you can see in Istanbul (order Lepidoptera, Butterflies and Moths) are Red Admiral (about 30%), Painted Lady (about 30%) and Small Copper (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Giant Peacock Moth is recorded against all the insects logged in Istanbul (12 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.
