Zygaena sarpedon

Zygaena sarpedon

Zygaena sarpedon

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

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

12 Verified sightings at Sierra Nevada National Park From 2019 to 2026
37 In all 2 parks
June Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Zygaena sarpedon

Zygaena sarpedon is a moth of the Zygaenidae family. It is found in France, Italy and on the Iberian Peninsula. Z. sarpedon. This species is the first of a group of red-banded Burnets from the Mediterranean coasts which have only 3 red spots on the forewing: the anterior and the posterior wedge-spots and a small, rounded, drop-like spot corresponding to the distal portion of the central streak. — In the name-typical form, the small sarpedon Hbn., the colour is pale, but distinctly red; hindwing with a vitreous streak from the base to the middle. Spain; South France. — trimaculata Esp. is a little larger; the wings are entirely limpid, the red spots of the forewing being only feebly marked, while the hindwing is almost entirely transparent; Balearic Is., perhaps occasionally also among the previous. — balearica Boisd. (= sarpedon H. Sch.) is considerably larger and more densely scaled than the 2 previous; hindwing beautifully red, narrowly edged with black. Spain, South France, and Piemont. — vernetensis Oberth.[ junior synonym of sarpedon ssp. carmencita Oberthür, 1910 ], from the Pyrenees, has the forewing as in balearica, but the... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Sierra Nevada National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
~10%
2 Sierra de Guadarrama National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
~10%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Madrid 🇪🇸 Spain
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Zygaena sarpedon in Sierra Nevada National Park?

With luck

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Zygaena sarpedon sighting in Sierra Nevada National Park on a given day, based on 12 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 169th 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 Zygaena sarpedon in Sierra Nevada National Park?

June

In that month about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Zygaena sarpedon in Sierra Nevada National Park on a given day, against under 5% in August to April, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see a Zygaena sarpedon?

Between 10 am and 1 pm

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

Yes

Of the 2 parks where we can rate Zygaena sarpedon sightings, Sierra Nevada National Park has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Sierra de Guadarrama National Park (Spain, about 10%).

Which relatives of the Zygaena sarpedon live in Sierra Nevada National Park?

Same genus: Zygaena

The closest relatives of the Zygaena sarpedon that you can see in Sierra Nevada National Park (genus Zygaena) are Five-Spot Burnet (about 10%) and Zygaena lavandulae (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Zygaena sarpedon sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Zygaena sarpedon is recorded against all the insects logged in Sierra Nevada 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.

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