Aporophyla nigra
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
Aporophyla nigra, the black rustic, is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by Adrian Hardy Haworth in 1809. It is found from North Africa, through southern and central Europe to Anatolia, in the north it is found up to Scotland and southern Norway. It is also found in the Caucasus, Israel and Lebanon.
The wingspan is 40–48 mm. Forewing deep black, the outer area beyond outer line often appearing brown; the inner and outer lines and the edges of stigmata deeper black; outer edge of reniform marked with yellowish spots; subterminal line rarely visible; hindwing in male white, sometimes with veins and termen clouded with fuscous, in female smoky grey brown, more whitish towards base; — ab. seileri Fuchs includes the intenser black forms without any trace of brown.
Adults are on wing in September and October and sometimes also in December and January. Larva yellow green, with three well-marked red dorsal lines and a similar coloured lateral line; spiracles white; or green with the dorsal lines confluent, brown red, divided finely by white; the brown-red subdorsal and spiracular lines confluent into a broad band, with a yellow... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Snowdonia National Park | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 2 | Sierra de Guadarrama National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liverpool | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 2 | London | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 3 | Porto | 🇵🇹 Portugal | |
| 4 | Madrid | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 5 | Birmingham | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Black Rustic sighting in Snowdonia National Park on a given day, based on 6 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 294th most-seen of the 387 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 40%, if each day is a fresh chance.
October
In that month about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Black Rustic in Snowdonia National Park on a given day, against under 5% in November to August, the lowest months.
Between 9 pm and midnight
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Black Rustic sightings with a recorded time, and about half of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is seen both by day and at night.
Yes
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Black Rustic sightings, Snowdonia National Park has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Sierra de Guadarrama National Park (Spain, about 10%).
Same family: Noctuidae
The closest relatives of the Black Rustic that you can see in Snowdonia National Park (family Noctuidae, Cutworm Moths and Allies) are Large Yellow Underwing (about 30%), Dark Arches (about 30%) and Flame Shoulder Moth (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Black Rustic is recorded against all the insects logged in Snowdonia 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.
