Marbled Carpet Moth

Marbled Carpet Moth

Dysstroma truncata

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
at Snowdonia National Park

In 3 days ~40% in a week ~70%

29 Verified sightings at Snowdonia National Park From 2019 to 2026
116 In all 6 parks
September Best month
☀️🌙 Day & Night When it's spotted

About the Marbled Carpet Moth

The common marbled carpet (Dysstroma truncata) is a moth of the family Geometridae. It is sometimes placed in the genus Chloroclysta. It is very common throughout the Palearctic region and the Near East. The species was first described by Johann Siegfried Hufnagel in 1767.

This is one of the most variable of the geometrids both in size (wingspan 32–39 mm) and colour. The basal and terminal areas of the forewings are marked with fascia separated by a large plain area in the middle, but the colouration of all these areas is confusingly variable from white to black with various grey, brown and reddish tones in between. The hindwings, though, are always pale grey marked with faint fascia. Some forms closely resemble Dysstroma citrata.

One or two broods are produced each year and the adults can be seen in any month from May to November.[1] The species flies at night and is attracted to light. It is also attracted to nectar-rich flowers and sugary foods which is fairly unusual for the family.

The larva is slender and green, usually with reddish stripes. It has been recorded feeding on a wide range of plants (see list below). The species overwinters as a larva. ^ The flight season refers to the British Isles. This may vary in other parts of the range. Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Snowdonia National Park 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
~20%
2 Cairngorms National Park 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
~10%
3 Vanoise National Park 🇫🇷 France
~10%
4 Bavarian Forest National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
~10%
5 Wadden Sea National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
~10%
6 Pyrénées National Park 🇫🇷 France
<5%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Liverpool 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
~30%
2 Birmingham 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
~10%
3 London 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
~10%
4 Manchester 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
~10%
5 Hamburg 🇩🇪 Germany
<5%
6 Copenhagen 🇩🇰 Denmark
<5%
7 Helsinki 🇫🇮 Finland
<5%
8 Paris 🇫🇷 France
<5%
9 Moscow 🇷🇺 Russia
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Marbled Carpet Moth in Snowdonia National Park?

Possible

About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Marbled Carpet Moth sighting in Snowdonia National Park on a given day, based on 29 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 81st most-seen of the 387 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.

When is the best time to see a Marbled Carpet Moth in Snowdonia National Park?

September

In that month about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Marbled Carpet Moth in Snowdonia National Park on a given day, against under 5% in July and October–April, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see a Marbled Carpet Moth?

Between 6 and 9 am

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Marbled Carpet Moth sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is seen both by day and at night.

Is Snowdonia National Park the best place to see a Marbled Carpet Moth?

Yes

Of the 6 parks where we can rate Marbled Carpet Moth sightings, Snowdonia National Park has the highest daily chance: about 20%. Next come Cairngorms National Park (United Kingdom, about 10%) and Vanoise National Park (France, about 10%).

Which relatives of the Marbled Carpet Moth live in Snowdonia National Park?

Same family: Geometridae

The closest relatives of the Marbled Carpet Moth that you can see in Snowdonia National Park (family Geometridae, Geometer Moths) are Brimstone Moth (about 30%), Small Phoenix (about 20%) and Peppered Moth (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Marbled Carpet Moth sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Marbled Carpet Moth is recorded against all the insects logged in Snowdonia National Park (29 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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