Catocala promissa
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Catocala promissa, the light crimson underwing, is a moth of the family Erebidae. The species was first described by Michael Denis and Ignaz Schiffermüller in 1775. It can be found in Europe and Anatolia up to Armenia. C. promissa Esp. (= mneste Hbn.). Smaller than sponsa; forewing with the ground colour white dusted with pale and dark grey; the costal edge between the lines white; the basal line and streak from base below cell black; the inner line double, black, forming a bluntly rounded projection in submedian interval, generally accompanied by a diffuse black shade forming a band; space between outer and subterminal lines filled in with dark; subterminal line pale grey, zigzag, externally black-edged; median space generally paler grey, especially on costa before reniform and before outer line; reniform with blackish centre and pale grey ring, placed in a diffuse dark median shade, the spot below it generally pale grey distinctly outlined with black; hindwing crimson with broad black terminal border and narrow sinuous median band, not reaching inner margin; the sinuosity of the band varies much, appearing to be greatest in British and Hungarian... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sierra de Guadarrama National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 2 | Cévennes National Park | 🇫🇷 France |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Light Crimson Underwing sighting in London on a given day, based on 12 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 971st most-seen of the 1504 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.
July
In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Light Crimson Underwing in London on a given day, against under 5% in August to June, the lowest months.
Between 10 pm and 1 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Light Crimson Underwing sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is mostly seen at night.
Among the best
Of the 4 cities where we can rate Light Crimson Underwing sightings, London ranks 2nd at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Paris (France, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Light Crimson Underwing is recorded against all the insects logged in London (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.
