Five-Spot Burnet

Five-Spot Burnet

Zygaena trifolii

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Porto

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

15 Verified sightings at Porto
53 In all 3 parks From 2019 to 2026
June Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Five-Spot Burnet

Zygaena trifolii, the five-spot burnet, is a day-flying moth in the family Zygaenidae found in North Africa and Europe. It was described by the German zoologist Eugenius Johann Christoph Esper in 1783 from the type specimen found in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

The wingspan is 28–33 mm. Adults are on wing from the mid-June to the beginning of August in one generation per year. Ovum Eggs are pale yellow and deposited in several layers to form an irregularly shaped batch. Larvae The larvae feed on the leaves of greater bird's-foot trefoil (Lotus uliginosus) and bird's-foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus). The species overwinters in the larval stage and may overwinter twice.

Pupa The pupa is shiny, black or blackish-brown and 10–18 mm long. Pupation of subsp descreta takes place in June and July in a cocoon which is spun high on marsh vegetation such as soft rush (Juncus effusus). Pupation of subsp palustrella takes place close to the ground and concealed amongst grass and other herbage in late-April to May. The cocoon is fusiform, irregularly ribbed and ranges from dirty white to creamy-white to bright yellow.

Distributions where known. Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

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

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Porto 🇵🇹 Portugal
<5%
2 London 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Five-Spot Burnet in Porto?

Rare

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Five-Spot Burnet sighting in Porto on a given day, based on 15 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 272nd most-seen of the 498 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 Five-Spot Burnet in Porto?

May and June

In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Five-Spot Burnet in Porto on a given day, against under 5% in July to April, the lowest months. Those are among Porto's driest months, with about 45 mm of rain a month against 140 mm in January.

What time of day is best to see a Five-Spot Burnet?

Between noon and 3 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Five-Spot Burnet 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 Porto the best place to see a Five-Spot Burnet?

Yes

Of the 2 cities where we can rate Five-Spot Burnet sightings, Porto has the highest daily chance: under 5%. Next come London (United Kingdom, under 5%).

Which relatives of the Five-Spot Burnet live in Porto?

Same order: Lepidoptera

The closest relatives of the Five-Spot Burnet that you can see in Porto (order Lepidoptera, Butterflies and Moths) are Speckled Wood (about 30%), Red Admiral (about 20%) and Double-Striped Pug (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Five-Spot Burnet sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Five-Spot Burnet is recorded against all the insects logged in Porto (15 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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