Myelois circumvoluta
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~50%
Myelois circumvoluta, the thistle ermine, is a small moth species of the family Pyralidae. It is found in Europe. This pyralid has a pattern of black dots on its whitish forewings, resembling many ermine moths (family Yponomeutidae). Among the Lepidoptera, the pyralids and the ermine moths are not closely related, however: the latter are basal Ditrysia, while the former belong to the much more advanced Obtectomera.
The wingspan is 27–33 millimetres (1.1–1.3 in). The moth flies in one generation in late spring to early summer, e.g. from the end of May to June in Belgium and the Netherlands. The caterpillars feed on Cardueae (Cynareae) thistles – greater burdock (Arctium lappa), cotton thistle (Onopordum acanthium), and Carduus and Cirsium species. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mercantour National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 2 | Pyrénées National Park | 🇫🇷 France |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Thistle Ermine sighting in Mercantour National Park on a given day, based on 7 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 272nd most-seen of the 412 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
June and July
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Thistle Ermine in Mercantour National Park on a given day, against under 5% in August to May, the lowest months.
Between 10 pm and 1 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Thistle Ermine 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.
Yes
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Thistle Ermine sightings, Mercantour National Park has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Pyrénées National Park (France, about 10%).
Same family: Pyralidae
The closest relatives of the Thistle Ermine that you can see in Mercantour National Park (family Pyralidae, Pyralid Snout Moths) are Rosy Tabby (about 10%) and Catastia marginea (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Thistle Ermine is recorded against all the insects logged in Mercantour National Park (7 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.
