Peridroma saucia
In 3 days ~50% in a week ~80%
Peridroma saucia, the pearly underwing or variegated cutworm, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by Jacob Hübner in 1808. It is found in North and South America, Europe, Asia and Africa. The variegated cutworm feeds on many plants, especially common fruits and vegetables. The moth undergoes two to four generations per year. The development of the moth slows in colder temperatures, indicative of its migratory nature. All stages of the life cycle have a developmental threshold for temperature. The moth is known to migrate to the northern regions during warmer months, returning to the southern regions when the climate becomes colder.
The variegated cutworm has a number of wasp and fly parasites, which account for most of the larval deaths each year. The female P. saucia produces a sex pheromone to attract male moths. Most notably, the variegated cutworm is known as one of the most damaging garden pests. The larvae cause considerable damage to common garden vegetables and fruits, destroying large amounts of crops every year. There are many methods of pest control that are being implemented in order to control P. saucia and its damage to crops. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sierra Nevada National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 2 | Pyrénées National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 3 | Sierra de Guadarrama National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 4 | Big Bend National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Cévennes National Park | 🇫🇷 France |
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Variegated Cutworm Moth sighting in Porto on a given day, based on 280 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 9th most-seen of the 498 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 50%, and over a week to about 80%, if each day is a fresh chance.
June and July
In those months about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Variegated Cutworm Moth in Porto on a given day, against about 10% in September to March, the lowest months. Those are among Porto's driest months, with about 25 mm of rain a month against 140 mm in January.
Between 10 pm and 1 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Variegated Cutworm Moth sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is mostly seen at night.
Yes
Of the 25 cities where we can rate Variegated Cutworm Moth sightings, Porto has the highest daily chance: about 20%. Next come Valencia (Spain, about 20%) and Austin (United States, about 10%).
Same family: Noctuidae
The closest relatives of the Variegated Cutworm Moth that you can see in Porto (family Noctuidae, Cutworm Moths and Allies) are Armyworm Moth (about 20%), Scarce Merveille Du Jour (about 20%) and Porter's Rustic (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Variegated Cutworm Moth is recorded against all the insects logged in Porto (280 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.
