Chalk Carpet

Chalk Carpet

Scotopteryx bipunctaria

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

In 3 days ~40% in a week ~60%

15 Verified sightings at Vanoise National Park From 2019 to 2026
40 In all 4 parks
July Best month
🌙 Nocturnal When it's spotted

About the Chalk Carpet

Scotopteryx bipunctaria, also known as the chalk carpet, is a moth in the family Geometridae. The species was first described by Michael Denis and Ignaz Schiffermüller in 1775. It is found from Morocco and Spain through western and central Europe and Great Britain to the Ural. In the north it is found up to the Baltic region and in the south its range extends over Italy and the Balkan Peninsula up to the Black Sea and Caspian Sea.

The wingspan is 26–32 mm. Adults are on wing from June to August in one generation per year. The larvae feed on various low-growing plants, including Vicia, Lotus, Hippocrepis and Teucrium species. Larvae can be found from September onwards. They overwinter and pupate in May or June of the following year. Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Vanoise National Park 🇫🇷 France
~10%
2 Mercantour National Park 🇫🇷 France
~10%
3 Ecrins National Park 🇫🇷 France
~10%
4 Pyrénées National Park 🇫🇷 France
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Chalk Carpet in Vanoise National Park?

With luck

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Chalk Carpet sighting in Vanoise National Park on a given day, based on 15 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 149th most-seen of the 308 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 40%, and over a week to about 60%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Chalk Carpet in Vanoise National Park?

July

In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Chalk Carpet in Vanoise National Park on a given day, against under 5% in September to June, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see a Chalk Carpet?

Between 10 pm and 1 am

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Chalk Carpet sightings with a recorded time, and about 7 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is mostly seen at night.

Is Vanoise National Park the best place to see a Chalk Carpet?

Yes

Of the 4 parks where we can rate Chalk Carpet sightings, Vanoise National Park has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Mercantour National Park (France, about 10%) and Ecrins National Park (France, about 10%).

Where does the Chalk Carpet sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Chalk Carpet is recorded against all the insects logged in Vanoise National Park (15 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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