Wood White
Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
at Picos de Europa National Park

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

6 Verified sightings at Picos de Europa National Park From 2019 to 2026
32 In all 3 parks
June Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Wood White

Leptidea sinapis, or the wood white butterfly of the family Pieridae, is a small white butterfly that is mainly found in England, Ireland, and Northern Europe. The butterfly has white wings with grey or yellow markings near the center or tip of the wing. It flies slowly and low over its shrubbery habitat. Males initiate courtship with females and can mate multiply, while females tend to only mate once in their lifetime.

The wood white was added to the UK BAP Priority Species list in 2005 due to a substantial decline in the population, especially in England. This decline has been attributed to changes in woodland regions, including increased shade due to tree planting, and the failure to maintain woodland rides in a satisfactory way for wood whites to oviposit. Conservation efforts are currently striving to understand how to best maintain woodland regions and are examining the effect of climate change (particularly during the winter months) on egg survival.

There are several subspecies of L. sinapis. These subspecies are all found in nearby regions, and thus geographical variation is slight. Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Picos de Europa National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
~10%
2 Cévennes National Park 🇫🇷 France
~10%
3 Pyrénées National Park 🇫🇷 France
<5%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Istanbul 🇹🇷 Turkey
~10%
2 Paris 🇫🇷 France
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Wood White in Picos de Europa National Park?

With luck

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Wood White sighting in Picos de Europa National Park on a given day, based on 6 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 85th most-seen of the 118 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 Wood White in Picos de Europa National Park?

June to August

In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Wood White in Picos de Europa National Park on a given day, against under 5% in September to May, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see a Wood White?

Between 11 am and 2 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Wood White sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Picos de Europa National Park the best place to see a Wood White?

Yes

Of the 3 parks where we can rate Wood White sightings, Picos de Europa National Park has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Cévennes National Park (France, about 10%) and Pyrénées National Park (France, under 5%).

Which relatives of the Wood White live in Picos de Europa National Park?

Same family: Pieridae

The closest relatives of the Wood White that you can see in Picos de Europa National Park (family Pieridae, Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs) are Clouded Yellow (about 30%), Small White (about 30%) and Common Brimstone (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Wood White sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Wood White is recorded against all the insects logged in Picos de Europa 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.

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