Wood Leopard Moth

Wood Leopard Moth

Zeuzera pyrina

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
at London

In 3 days ~20% in a week ~30%

50 Verified sightings at London
129 In all 6 parks From 2019 to 2026
June Best month
☀️🌙 Day & Night When it's spotted

About the Wood Leopard Moth

Zeuzera pyrina, the leopard moth or wood leopard moth, is a moth of the family Cossidae. It is considered a pest by fruit growers, as the larvae feed on branches of many kinds of fruit trees. Olive trees in particular are very susceptible and can be killed by the larvae burrowing within them.

This species can be found primarily in Europe (excluding Ireland) but also in northern Africa (Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco) and Asia (Taiwan, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Japan, Korea, Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Syria, Turkey). It was introduced into the northeastern United States prior to 1879 and has a range including Maine, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Texas.

These moths are associated with woodland, gardens and orchards. Zeuzera pyrina has a wingspan of 35–60 millimetres (1.4–2.4 in). They are a highly distinctive species. The length of the abdomen of the female is about 45–50 millimetres (1.8–2.0 in). The... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Sierra Nevada National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
~10%
2 Cévennes National Park 🇫🇷 France
~10%
3 Pyrénées National Park 🇫🇷 France
~10%
4 Sierra de Guadarrama National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
~10%
5 Bavarian Forest National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
~10%
6 Wadden Sea National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
<5%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Bucharest 🇷🇴 Romania
~10%
2 Budapest 🇭🇺 Hungary
~10%
3 Vienna 🇦🇹 Austria
~10%
4 Essen 🇩🇪 Germany
~10%
5 Belgrade 🇷🇸 Serbia
~10%
6 Porto 🇵🇹 Portugal
~10%
7 Paris 🇫🇷 France
~10%
8 Warsaw 🇵🇱 Poland
~10%
9 Istanbul 🇹🇷 Turkey
~10%
10 London 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
~10%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Wood Leopard Moth in London?

With luck

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Wood Leopard Moth sighting in London on a given day, based on 50 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 462nd most-seen of the 1504 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.

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

June and July

In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Wood Leopard Moth in London on a given day, against under 5% in August to May, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see a Wood Leopard Moth?

Between 10 pm and 1 am

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Wood Leopard Moth sightings with a recorded time, and about 7 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is seen both by day and at night.

Is London the best place to see a Wood Leopard Moth?

Among the best

Of the 28 cities where we can rate Wood Leopard Moth sightings, London ranks 10th at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Bucharest (Romania, about 10%), Budapest (Hungary, about 10%) and Vienna (Austria, about 10%).

Where does the Wood Leopard Moth sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Wood Leopard Moth is recorded against all the insects logged in London (50 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.

← Back to London