Oecophora bractella
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Oecophora bractella is a species of gelechioid moth, native to Europe but introduced to western North America. It belongs to the subfamily Oecophorinae of the concealer moth family (Oecophoridae). As the type species of its genus Oecophora, its affiliations and phylogeny (which are not completely known however) determine the delimitation of that family and subfamily.
In its native Europe, it inhabits woodland. The species is not often found in the outlying regions; in the UK for example it has only been recorded from a few patches of old-growth forest in the English Midlands (e.g. Wyre Forest), southern England, and southern Wales (e.g. in the Wye valley).
The adults' wingspan is 12–16 mm. Conspicuously bicolored black and yellow, they also have some iridescent blue markings on the forewings. The adult moths fly from May to July depending on the location; they are semi-diurnal and can be encountered during the day, but usually are active at dawn. The caterpillars feed on dead and decaying wood, and possibly also on fungi.
This species has suffered from considerable confusion regarding its scientific name. It was first described... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bavarian Forest National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany |
More parks will be added in future updates.
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Gold-Base Tubic sighting in Seattle on a given day, based on 14 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 232nd most-seen of the 428 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.
May
In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Gold-Base Tubic in Seattle on a given day, against under 5% in June to April, the lowest months.
Between 7 and 10 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Gold-Base Tubic sightings with a recorded time, and about 7 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is seen both by day and at night.
Among the best
Of the 2 cities where we can rate Gold-Base Tubic sightings, Seattle ranks 2nd at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Vancouver (Canada, under 5%).
Same family: Oecophoridae
The closest relatives of the Gold-Base Tubic that you can see in Seattle (family Oecophoridae, Concealer Moths) are Brown House Moth (about 10%) and White-Shouldered House Moth (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Gold-Base Tubic is recorded against all the insects logged in Seattle (14 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.
