Rhodometra sacraria
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~50%
Rhodometra sacraria, the vestal, is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1767 12th edition of Systema Naturae. It can be found throughout Europe, in the Near East, in North Africa, in the Afrotropical realm and in large parts of Asia. It is also found in South America (Chile and Argentina).
Rhodometra sacraria inhabits meadows, forest clearing, paths, gardens and urban environments. Rhodometra sacraria has a wingspan reaching 22–28 mm, while the length of the forewings is 12–14 mm. The late generations are smaller and the wingspan has an average of 16–26 mm. These moths are easily distinguishable from the mahogany or pink stripe, located on yellowish or cream background, crossing diagonally the dorsal sides of the upperwings from the posterior margin up to the apex. Discal spots are usually present and have the same colour as the postmedial line.
The dorsal sides of the hindwings are whitish and unmarked. The fringes on the wings are mostly in the basic colour. The abdomen is pure white. Head and thorax are straw yellow. In males the antennae are bipectinated to three-fourths length... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sierra Nevada National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 2 | Monfragüe National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 3 | Picos de Europa National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 4 | Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 5 | Sierra de Guadarrama National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 6 | Doñana National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 7 | Pyrénées National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 8 | Kruger National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 9 | Cévennes National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 10 | Addo Elephant National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 11 | iSimangaliso Wetland Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 12 | Garden Route National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 13 | Table Mountain National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Vestal sighting in Doñana National Park on a given day, based on 6 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 58th most-seen of the 87 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
October
In that month about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Vestal in Doñana National Park on a given day, against under 5% in May–August and November–March, the lowest months. That is one of Doñana National Park's wettest months, with about 90 mm of rain against almost none in July.
Between 9 pm and midnight
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Vestal sightings with a recorded time, and about half of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is seen both by day and at night.
6th of 13
Of the 13 parks where we can rate Vestal sightings, Doñana National Park ranks 6th at about 10%. The best odds are in Sierra Nevada National Park (Spain, about 20%), Monfragüe National Park (Spain, about 10%) and Picos de Europa National Park (Spain, about 10%).
Same family: Geometridae
The closest relatives of the Vestal that you can see in Doñana National Park (family Geometridae, Geometer Moths) are Lydd Beauty (about 10%), Yellow Belle (about 10%) and Rhoptria asperaria (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Vestal is recorded against all the insects logged in Doñana National Park (6 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.
