Giant Peacock Moth

Giant Peacock Moth

Saturnia pyri

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
at Paris

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

29 Verified sightings at Paris
188 In all 7 parks From 2019 to 2026
May Best month
☀️🌙 Day & Night When it's spotted

About the Giant Peacock Moth

Saturnia pyri, the giant peacock moth, great peacock moth, giant emperor moth or Viennese emperor, is a Saturniid moth which is native to Europe. The species was first described by Michael Denis and Ignaz Schiffermüller in 1775. It is the largest European moth, with a wingspan reaching 15–20 cm (6–8 in).

The giant peacock moth has a range that includes the Iberian Peninsula, southern France, northern Hungary, central and southern Serbia, Croatia, Montenegro, southern and eastern Bulgaria, southern Greece southern Turkey, south Kyrgyzstan, western Syria, Lebanon, Israel, southern Romania, Russia, Ukraine, Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, North Macedonia and Italy and extends into Siberia and North Africa. It is absent from the UK, though a small handful of individuals have been recorded, likely of captive origin. Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Cévennes National Park 🇫🇷 France
~20%
2 Triglav National Park 🇸🇮 Slovenia
~10%
3 Monfragüe National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
~10%
4 Pyrénées National Park 🇫🇷 France
~10%
5 Camargue 🇫🇷 France
~10%
6 Fertő-Hanság National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
~10%
7 Sierra de Guadarrama National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
~10%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Vienna 🇦🇹 Austria
~10%
2 Istanbul 🇹🇷 Turkey
~10%
3 Paris 🇫🇷 France
~10%
4 Milan 🇮🇹 Italy
<5%
5 Lyon 🇫🇷 France
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Giant Peacock Moth in Paris?

With luck

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Giant Peacock Moth sighting in Paris on a given day, based on 29 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 254th most-seen of the 916 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 a Giant Peacock Moth in Paris?

April–May and August

In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Giant Peacock Moth in Paris on a given day, against under 5% in June–July and September–March, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see a Giant Peacock Moth?

Between 10 pm and 1 am

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

Is Paris the best place to see a Giant Peacock Moth?

Among the best

Of the 5 cities where we can rate Giant Peacock Moth sightings, Paris ranks 3rd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Vienna (Austria, about 10%) and Istanbul (Turkey, about 10%).

Where does the Giant Peacock Moth sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Giant Peacock Moth is recorded against all the insects logged in Paris (29 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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