Welsh Wave Moth

Welsh Wave Moth

Venusia cambrica

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
at Pacific Rim National Park Reserve

In 3 days ~30% in a week ~60%

51 Verified sightings at Pacific Rim National Park Reserve From 2019 to 2026
103 In all 5 parks
July Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Welsh Wave Moth

Venusia cambrica, the Welsh wave, is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is found in Europe, western and central Siberia, Altai, Transbaikalia, the Russian Far East, the Korean Peninsula, Japan and in North America, where it can be found across Canada from Newfoundland and Labrador to British Columbia, south in the west to California, south in the east to Georgia.

The wingspan is 27–30 mm. The light grey front wing has black and brown cross lines. Two protruding black lines at the outer black cross line, near the middle of the wing, are the most striking characteristic. "Quite distinct. The black marks on the 3rd radial and 1st median distally to the outer line recall Oporinia. English specimens and (according to Herz) the Korean form are on an average rather less white, than those from Scotland and continental Europe. In general the female is slightly larger and paler than the male - ab. pygmaea Tystr. is small with the central area constricted. - ab. latefasciata Strand has the median area very broad, the lines which bound it are parallel, not approximated in the posterior part. - ab. webbi Prout has the markings almcst obliterated excepting at the costal margin and on the median vein and its branches, recalling Oporinia antumnata gueneata See Oporinia gueneata -ab. bradyi Prout has both wings uniformly suffused with dark smoke-colour, and is becoming frequent in the Sheffield district. -ab. lofthousei Prout is a quite different melanotic form from ab. bradyi; forewing suffused with smoke-colour but remaining longitudinally rayed with white in the distal area, hindwing not infuscated. Only known from North Yorkshire. The larva is long and slender, with a few short setae. It is green with large, purple spots on the back and sides.

Adults are on wing from July to August in western Europe, from June to September in New Brunswick and Quebec and from March to August in California. There are two generations per year. The larvae feed on the leaves of Sorbus aucuparia. Other recorded food plants include alder, apple, birch, mountain ash, serviceberry and willow. Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Pacific Rim National Park Reserve 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
2 Great Bear Rainforest 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
3 Cairngorms National Park 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
~10%
4 Great Smoky Mountains National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
5 Olympic National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Seattle 🇺🇸 United States
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Welsh Wave Moth in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve?

With luck

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Welsh Wave Moth sighting in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve on a given day, based on 51 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 29th most-seen of the 107 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 60%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Welsh Wave Moth in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve?

July

In that month about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Welsh Wave Moth in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve on a given day, against under 5% in June and September–April, the lowest months. That is one of Pacific Rim National Park Reserve's driest months, with about 40 mm of rain against 470 mm in November.

What time of day is best to see a Welsh Wave Moth?

Between 5 and 8 am

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Welsh Wave Moth sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Pacific Rim National Park Reserve the best place to see a Welsh Wave Moth?

Yes

Of the 5 parks where we can rate Welsh Wave Moth sightings, Pacific Rim National Park Reserve has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Great Bear Rainforest (Canada, about 10%) and Cairngorms National Park (United Kingdom, about 10%).

Which relatives of the Welsh Wave Moth live in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve?

Same family: Geometridae

The closest relatives of the Welsh Wave Moth that you can see in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve (family Geometridae, Geometer Moths) are Brown-Lined Looper (about 10%), Gray Spruce Looper Moth (about 10%) and Pale Beauty (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Welsh Wave Moth sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Welsh Wave Moth is recorded against all the insects logged in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve (51 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.

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