Cucullia umbratica
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
The shark (Cucullia umbratica) is a moth of the family Noctuidae. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his landmark 1758 10th edition of Systema Naturae. This species is widespread throughout much of the Palearctic realm (Europe, Russia, Afghanistan, Turkestan, and Mongolia), but has recently also been reported from North America, from the Magdalen Islands in Canada.
These moths inhabit a range of open environments such as heaths, meadows, forest edges, gardens, parks and suburban areas. Cucullia umbratica is a fairly large species, with a wingspan of 52–59 millimetres (2.0–2.3 in). These moths have long, narrow wings giving a streamlined appearance. The forewings are dull brownish grey, the cell and space beyond are paler, with dull greyish buff. A fine black line runs from the base below cell. The usual lines and stigmata are ill defined. Orbicular is represented by two or three dark points, reniform by a curved black line at lower end. Slight black dashes are present before termen, above vein 3 and below vein 2, and a longer black streak appears above middle of vein 4. The hindwings of male are white, with... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bavarian Forest National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 2 | Wadden Sea National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Shark Moth sighting in Wadden Sea National Park on a given day, based on 9 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 536th most-seen of the 818 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 20%, if each day is a fresh chance.
July and August
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Shark Moth in Wadden Sea National Park on a given day, against under 5% in September to June, the lowest months.
Between 11 pm and 2 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Shark Moth sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is mostly seen at night.
2nd of 2
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Shark Moth sightings, Wadden Sea National Park ranks 2nd at under 5%. The best odds are in Bavarian Forest National Park (Germany, about 10%).
Same family: Noctuidae
The closest relatives of the Shark Moth that you can see in Wadden Sea National Park (family Noctuidae, Cutworm Moths and Allies) are Large Yellow Underwing (about 20%), Silver Υ (about 20%) and Flame Shoulder Moth (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Shark Moth is recorded against all the insects logged in Wadden Sea 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.
