Marsh Marigold Moth

Marsh Marigold Moth

Micropterix calthella

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Moscow

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

28 Verified sightings at Moscow
6 In 1 park From 2019 to 2026
May Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Marsh Marigold Moth

Micropterix calthella, the marsh marigold moth, is a species of moth belonging to the family Micropterigidae. It is found in damp habitats throughout Europe (except for the far south) and is also distributed eastwards to central Siberia. It was first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1761 as Phalaena calthella.

Pupae are brown with dark oculi and paler abdominal segments. Adults are small, with a forewing length of up to 4.6 millimetres (0.18 in) and a wingspan of 8–10 millimetres (0.31–0.39 in). The species is more plainly marked than many other European species of Micropterix, and has dark bronze-coloured (or pale shining bronzy-golden) forewings with a purple sheen in places and distinctive purple bases. The hindwings are rather dark bronzy-grey. The head is deep ferruginous-yellow.

Eggs are laid amongst vegetation on the soil surface. They are translucent white turning grey, prior to hatching. The larvae feed on tender, young growth of herbacaeous plants and pupate in a tough, silken cocoon. Like other members of the family, Micropterix calthella has functional jaws in its imaginal stage. As adult, it feeds on pollen grains from a wide variety of plants... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Snowdonia National Park 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
~10%

More parks will be added in future updates.

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Moscow 🇷🇺 Russia
<5%
2 Saint Petersburg 🇷🇺 Russia
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Marsh Marigold Moth in Moscow?

Rare

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Marsh Marigold Moth sighting in Moscow on a given day, based on 28 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 425th most-seen of the 1111 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 Marsh Marigold Moth in Moscow?

May

In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Marsh Marigold Moth in Moscow on a given day, against under 5% in June to April, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see a Marsh Marigold Moth?

Between 3 and 6 pm

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

Is Moscow the best place to see a Marsh Marigold Moth?

Yes

Of the 2 cities where we can rate Marsh Marigold Moth sightings, Moscow has the highest daily chance: under 5%. Next come Saint Petersburg (Russia, under 5%).

Where does the Marsh Marigold Moth sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Marsh Marigold Moth is recorded against all the insects logged in Moscow (28 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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