Old World Webworm

Old World Webworm

Hellula undalis

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Madrid

In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%

18 Verified sightings at Madrid
10 In 1 park From 2019 to 2026
October Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Old World Webworm

Hellula undalis, the cabbage webworm or Old World webworm, is a moth of the family Crambidae. It is a widespread species which is found from Europe across Asia to the Pacific. It was first described from Italy but it is a tropical or subtropical species only occasional in Europe.

The wingspan is about 18 mm. The forewings are greyish-brown with wavy grey markings, a curved pale subterminal patch and a kidney shaped mark at one third. The hindwings are pale, with the tip lighter. It is a pest of Brassica oleracea (cabbage) and Brassica rapa (turnip) Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Table Mountain National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%

More parks will be added in future updates.

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Valencia 🇪🇸 Spain
~30%
2 Rome 🇮🇹 Italy
~10%
3 Tel Aviv 🇮🇱 Israel
~10%
4 Porto 🇵🇹 Portugal
~10%
5 Barcelona 🇪🇸 Spain
~10%
6 Madrid 🇪🇸 Spain
<5%
7 Istanbul 🇹🇷 Turkey
<5%
8 Chennai 🇮🇳 India
<5%
9 Cape Town 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
10 Brisbane 🇦🇺 Australia
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing an Old World Webworm in Madrid?

Rare

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report an Old World Webworm sighting in Madrid on a given day, based on 18 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 218th most-seen of the 457 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see an Old World Webworm in Madrid?

October

In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report an Old World Webworm in Madrid on a given day, against under 5% in November to August, the lowest months. That is one of Madrid's wettest months, with about 65 mm of rain against 10 mm in July.

What time of day is best to see an Old World Webworm?

Between 3 and 6 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Old World Webworm sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Madrid the best place to see an Old World Webworm?

6th of 10

Of the 10 cities where we can rate Old World Webworm sightings, Madrid ranks 6th at under 5%. The best odds are in Valencia (Spain, about 30%), Rome (Italy, about 10%) and Tel Aviv (Israel, about 10%).

Which relatives of the Old World Webworm live in Madrid?

Same family: Crambidae

The closest relatives of the Old World Webworm that you can see in Madrid (family Crambidae, Crambid Snout Moths) are Rush Veneer (about 20%), Wandering Sunset (about 10%) and Jasmine Moth (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Old World Webworm sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Old World Webworm is recorded against all the insects logged in Madrid (18 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 Madrid