Xestia ditrapezium
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~50%
Xestia ditrapezium (triple-spotted clay) is a moth of the family Noctuidae found in most of Europe, northern Turkey, northern Iran, Transcaucasia, Caucasus, central Asia, from the Altai to Ussuri, Amur, Kuril Islands, northern Mongolia, Tibet, China, Korea, and Japan.
The wingspan is 35–47 mm. The forewing is darker than in Xestia triangulum Hufn., a smooth vinous brown; the dark markings are not so black; the hindwing is distinctly yellowish-tinged. Differences from X. triangulum: X. ditrapezium forewings on average are narrower (or longer). The ground color of the forewings is usually darker (red to violet-brown) and the color of the rear wing is a shade lighter. The hindwings are significantly lighter than the forewings. The collar is without contrasts, almost monochrome.
X. triangulum forewings on average are wider (or shorter). The ground color of the forewings is usually lighter (ochre to tawny or grayish brown); the color of the hindwings is usually slightly darker grey. The hindwings are about as light as the front wings. The lower part of the neck collar is grey, separated by a light line from the dark upper. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Snowdonia National Park | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 2 | Bavarian Forest National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 3 | Pyrénées National Park | 🇫🇷 France |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nizhny Novgorod | 🇷🇺 Russia | |
| 2 | Moscow | 🇷🇺 Russia |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Triple-Spotted Clay sighting in Snowdonia National Park on a given day, based on 12 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 202nd most-seen of the 387 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
July
In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Triple-Spotted Clay in Snowdonia National Park on a given day, against under 5% in September to May, the lowest months.
Between 6 and 9 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Triple-Spotted Clay 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 3 parks where we can rate Triple-Spotted Clay sightings, Snowdonia National Park has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Bavarian Forest National Park (Germany, under 5%) and Pyrénées National Park (France, under 5%).
Same genus: Xestia
The closest relatives of the Triple-Spotted Clay that you can see in Snowdonia National Park (genus Xestia) are Setaceous Hebrew Character (about 10%), Double Square-Spot (about 10%) and Square-Spot Rustic (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Triple-Spotted Clay is recorded against all the insects logged in Snowdonia 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.
