Mouse Moth

Mouse Moth

Amphipyra tragopoginis

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at London

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

10 Verified sightings at London
12 In all 2 parks From 2019 to 2026
August Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Mouse Moth

The mouse moth (Amphipyra tragopoginis) is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is a widespread species with a Holarctic distribution. Europe (except the extreme north, and not occurring in the south of Spain, Sicily, or the Balkans); also in Armenia, Asia Minor, Syria, Iran, Western Siberia, Kashmir (extending thence into Punjab). Recently introduced in Canada and North America.

This is a rather drab but distinctive species. The forewings are uniform dark brown with three blackish spots arranged in a triangle. The hindwings are buffish, darker towards the margins. The wingspan is 32–40 mm. The common name derives from the species' habit of scuttling away on foot when disturbed rather than flying. Despite this, it can fly strongly and is attracted to light, sugar and nectar-rich flowers. In the British Isles, the adult is active from July to September.

Forewing dull brown, dusted with paler scales, varying from pale to blackish brown; submarginal line only visible, indicated by a paler tinge preceded by a darker shade; orbicular stigma a blackish dot; reniform represented by two, one above the other, at end of cell; hindwing rufous fuscous, paler... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Gros Morne National Park 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
2 Wadden Sea National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
<5%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Liverpool 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
~10%
2 Edmonton 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
3 Manchester 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
<5%
4 Copenhagen 🇩🇰 Denmark
<5%
5 Prague 🇨🇿 Czechia
<5%
6 Helsinki 🇫🇮 Finland
<5%
7 Birmingham 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
<5%
8 Berlin 🇩🇪 Germany
<5%
9 London 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
<5%
10 Montreal 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Mouse Moth in London?

Rare

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Mouse Moth sighting in London on a given day, based on 10 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 1109th 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.

When is the best time to see a Mouse Moth in London?

Any time of year

In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Mouse Moth in London on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.

What time of day is best to see a Mouse Moth?

Between 8 and 11 am

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Mouse Moth sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is London the best place to see a Mouse Moth?

9th of 13

Of the 13 cities where we can rate Mouse Moth sightings, London ranks 9th at under 5%. The best odds are in Liverpool (United Kingdom, about 10%), Edmonton (Canada, under 5%) and Manchester (United Kingdom, under 5%).

Where does the Mouse Moth sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Mouse Moth is recorded against all the insects logged in London (10 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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