Peridroma saucia
In 3 days ~40% in a week ~70%
Peridroma saucia, the pearly underwing or variegated cutworm, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by Jacob Hübner in 1808. It is found in North and South America, Europe, Asia and Africa. The variegated cutworm feeds on many plants, especially common fruits and vegetables. The moth undergoes two to four generations per year. The development of the moth slows in colder temperatures, indicative of its migratory nature. All stages of the life cycle have a developmental threshold for temperature. The moth is known to migrate to the northern regions during warmer months, returning to the southern regions when the climate becomes colder.
The variegated cutworm has a number of wasp and fly parasites, which account for most of the larval deaths each year. The female P. saucia produces a sex pheromone to attract male moths. Most notably, the variegated cutworm is known as one of the most damaging garden pests. The larvae cause considerable damage to common garden vegetables and fruits, destroying large amounts of crops every year. There are many methods of pest control that are being implemented in order to control P. saucia and its damage to crops. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sierra Nevada National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 2 | Pyrénées National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 3 | Sierra de Guadarrama National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 4 | Big Bend National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Cévennes National Park | 🇫🇷 France |
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Variegated Cutworm Moth sighting in Sierra Nevada National Park on a given day, based on 20 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 113th most-seen of the 479 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 40%, and over a week to about 70%, if each day is a fresh chance.
May–July and October–November
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Variegated Cutworm Moth in Sierra Nevada National Park on a given day, against under 5% in August and December–March, the lowest months.
Between 10 pm and 1 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Variegated Cutworm Moth 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.
Yes
Of the 5 parks where we can rate Variegated Cutworm Moth sightings, Sierra Nevada National Park has the highest daily chance: about 20%. Next come Pyrénées National Park (France, about 10%) and Sierra de Guadarrama National Park (Spain, about 10%).
Same family: Noctuidae
The closest relatives of the Variegated Cutworm Moth that you can see in Sierra Nevada National Park (family Noctuidae, Cutworm Moths and Allies) are Turnip Moth (about 20%), The Bordered Straw (about 20%) and Silver Υ (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Variegated Cutworm Moth is recorded against all the insects logged in Sierra Nevada National Park (20 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.
