Dusky Heath

Dusky Heath

Coenonympha dorus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
at Sierra Nevada National Park

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

10 Verified sightings at Sierra Nevada National Park From 2019 to 2026
49 In all 3 parks
August Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Dusky Heath

Coenonympha dorus, the dusky heath, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found in south-western Europe and North Africa. The length of the forewings is 16–17 mm. Seitz C. dorus Esp. (= dorilis Bkh., dorion Hbn.) (48 f). male above entirely shaded with soot-colour, except the posterior portion of the disc of the hindwing; female reddish yellow with a broad black apex and distal margin to both wings. The hindwing above has a curved, proximally convex row of ocelli, which is very irregular on the underside.

The larvae feed on various grasses. Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Sierra Nevada National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
~10%
2 Cévennes National Park 🇫🇷 France
~10%
3 Mercantour National Park 🇫🇷 France
~10%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Dusky Heath in Sierra Nevada National Park?

With luck

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Dusky Heath sighting in Sierra Nevada National Park on a given day, based on 10 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 211th most-seen of the 479 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 Dusky Heath in Sierra Nevada National Park?

August

In that month about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Dusky Heath in Sierra Nevada National Park on a given day, against under 5% in October to May, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see a Dusky Heath?

Between 11 am and 2 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Dusky Heath 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 Sierra Nevada National Park the best place to see a Dusky Heath?

Yes

Of the 3 parks where we can rate Dusky Heath sightings, Sierra Nevada National Park has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Cévennes National Park (France, about 10%) and Mercantour National Park (France, about 10%).

Where does the Dusky Heath sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Dusky Heath is recorded against all the insects logged in Sierra Nevada National Park (10 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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