Bucculatrix thoracella
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Bucculatrix thoracella, the lime bent-wing, is species of moth in the family Bucculatricidae, and was first described in 1794 by Carl Peter Thunberg as Tinea thoracella. It is found throughout Europe with exception of Ireland and the Balkan Peninsula, and in Japan, where it occurs on the islands of Hokkaido and Honshu.
Adult specimens of Bucculatrix thoracella are small, with a wingspan of 6–8 mm, and have a wing pattern of dark brown blotches on a yellow base, with a brown line extending to the wing's edge. Larvae have a pale, greenish yellow body and a pale yellow head. Pupae are a dark, cloudy brown, and are covered by a strongly ribbed white, yellowish or greyish brown cocoon.
In continental Europe, Bucculatrix thoracella occurs in two generations per year, whereas it is generally univoltine in most of Britain. It overwinters as a pupa, either on the host plant's trunk or in leaf litter. Adults are on wing in June and sometimes August in Britain, while in continental Europe they are on wing from April to May and from July to August. Eggs are left on the underside of leaves, often at a vein angle.
Larvae feed mainly on species of lime... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bavarian Forest National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany |
More parks will be added in future updates.
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Lime Bent-Wing sighting in London on a given day, based on 9 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 1153rd 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.
Any time of year
In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Lime Bent-Wing in London on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.
Between 10 pm and 1 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Lime Bent-Wing 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.
Among the best
Of the 2 cities where we can rate Lime Bent-Wing sightings, London ranks 2nd at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Berlin (Germany, under 5%).
Same order: Lepidoptera
The closest relatives of the Lime Bent-Wing that you can see in London (order Lepidoptera, Butterflies and Moths) are Jersey Tiger (about 40%), Speckled Wood (about 40%) and Red Admiral (about 40%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Lime Bent-Wing is recorded against all the insects logged in London (9 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.
