Xestia stigmatica
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Xestia stigmatica, the square-spotted clay, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. It is found in most of Europe, Transcaucasia, Caucasus, Kazakhstan, northern Turkey and northern Iran. The wingspan is 37–44 mm. Distinguished from other Xestia species by the broad forewing coloured greyish dark brown (sometimes purple tinted) and the irregular broad dark band between the wavy line and the outer cross line.
Adults are on wing from in August. The larvae feed on a variety of plants such as Rubus fruticosus, Urtica dioica, Prunus spinosa, Primula and Betula. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bavarian Forest National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 2 | Pyrénées National Park | 🇫🇷 France |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Square-Spotted Clay sighting in Pyrénées National Park on a given day, based on 12 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 869th most-seen of the 1277 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.
August and September
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Square-Spotted Clay in Pyrénées National Park on a given day, against under 5% in October to July, the lowest months.
Between 9 pm and midnight
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Square-Spotted Clay sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is mostly seen at night.
Among the best
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Square-Spotted Clay sightings, Pyrénées National Park ranks 2nd at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Bavarian Forest National Park (Germany, under 5%).
Same genus: Xestia
The closest relatives of the Square-Spotted Clay that you can see in Pyrénées National Park (genus Xestia) are Setaceous Hebrew Character (about 10%) and Square-Spot Rustic (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Square-Spotted Clay is recorded against all the insects logged in Pyrénées National Park (12 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.
