Diurnea fagella
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
Diurnea fagella, the March dagger moth, is a moth of the subfamily Chimabachinae. It is found in Europe and was first described by Michael Denis & Ignaz Schiffermüller in 1775. The wingspan of the male is from 26–30 mm The female is smaller with reduced wings and a wingspan of 15–20 mm. The antennae of the male are
shortly and evenly ciliated. Forewings whitish or ochreous whitish, sprinkled or sometimes densely irrorated with fuscous and dark fuscous; an indistinct blackish angulated transverse line about 1/3, not reaching dorsum; stigmata black, first discal double, followed by another black dot, plical confluent with transverse line, second discal forming a transverse mark or pair of dots; often an angulated and indented blackish subterminal line. Hindwings are light grey.
The larva is grey - green; head yellowish-grey; 3rd pair of legs placed on tubercle.Melanic forms are common in both male and female and can be found in some northern and industrial areas of England. In northern Scotland only pale specimens are found and albinistic forms can be found everywhere.
The moth flies in one generation from March to May depending on the location. During the day males... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bavarian Forest National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 2 | Snowdonia National Park | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liverpool | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 2 | Rotterdam [The Hague] | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | |
| 3 | Hamburg | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 4 | London | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 5 | Birmingham | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 6 | Berlin | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 7 | Prague | 🇨🇿 Czechia | |
| 8 | Vienna | 🇦🇹 Austria | |
| 9 | Moscow | 🇷🇺 Russia |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a March Tubic sighting in Snowdonia National Park on a given day, based on 9 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 264th 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.
March
In that month about 40% of wildlife watchers report a March Tubic in Snowdonia National Park on a given day, against under 5% in May to February, the lowest months.
Between 8 and 11 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most March Tubic 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.
Among the best
Of the 2 parks where we can rate March Tubic sightings, Snowdonia National Park ranks 2nd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Bavarian Forest National Park (Germany, about 10%).
Same order: Lepidoptera
The closest relatives of the March Tubic that you can see in Snowdonia National Park (order Lepidoptera, Butterflies and Moths) are Drinker Moth (about 50%), Speckled Wood (about 40%) and Oak Eggar (about 30%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the March Tubic is recorded against all the insects logged in Snowdonia National Park (9 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.
