Catephia alchymista
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Catephia alchymista, the white underwing or alchymist, is a moth in the family Erebidae found in Asia, Europe and North Africa. The species was first described by Michael Denis and Ignaz Schiffermüller in 1775. C. alchymista Schiff. Forewing ash-black; lines deep black; inner and outer irregularly dentate, partially brown-edged externally; subterminal line light brown, irregular and dilated in places, at costa marked with white; stigmata with deep black edges; hindwing white in basal half, except along inner margin, which like outer half is blackish; terminal spots white, running out into the fringe, at apex and above anal angle. Larva reddish brown, marbled with black and whitish; dorsal tubercles black; head brown; segment 2 yellow in front the ab. varia Chr., from Sarepta, has greenish grey forewings with very strongly marked black lines. The wingspan is 35–45 millimetres (1.4–1.8 in).
The moths are on wing from May to July, and in southern Europe there is a partial second generation in August and September. The larvae feed on oak (Quercus species), preferring new growth and saplings and have also been found on elm (Ulmus species... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cévennes National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 2 | Pyrénées National Park | 🇫🇷 France |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vienna | 🇦🇹 Austria |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report an Alchymist sighting in Vienna on a given day, based on 6 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 1178th most-seen of the 1406 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.
Any time of year
In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report an Alchymist in Vienna on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.
Between 9 pm and midnight
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Alchymist sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is seen both by day and at night.
Only Vienna, in our data
Vienna is the only city on Wallace's Line with enough records to rate Alchymist sightings: under 5% of wildlife watchers there report one on a given day.
Same family: Erebidae
The closest relatives of the Alchymist that you can see in Vienna (family Erebidae, Underwing, Tiger, Tussock, and Allied Moths) are Nine-Spotted Moth (about 10%), Four-Spotted Moth (about 10%) and Jersey Tiger (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Alchymist is recorded against all the insects logged in Vienna (6 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.
