Anania hortulata
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
Anania hortulata, also known as the small magpie, is a species of moth of the family Crambidae found in Asia, Europe and North America. It was described, in 1758, by the 18th-century Swedish taxonomist, botanist, and zoologist, Carl Linnaeus.
The wingspan is 24–28 millimetres (0.94–1.10 in) The head and thorax are deep ochreous-yellow, black-spotted. Forewings are yellowish-white, markings blackish; base blackish, with two ochreous-yellow marks; a suffused costal streak; lines thick, first irregular, second tending to form spots, curved, narrowest below middle; small orbicular and large round discal spots, touching costal streak; a terminal fascia tending to form spots, edge parallel to second line. Hind wings with colour, second line, and terminal fascia as in forewings; a blackish discal spot. The larva is whitish; dorsal line dull green, white-edged; head and plate of 2 black. See also Parsons et al.
The moth flies from June to July depending on the location and is easily disturbed by day. It flies from dusk onward and comes to light. Ovum Eggs are mostly laid on stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) and occasionally on Labiatae such as white horehound (Marrubium vulgare... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Snowdonia National Park | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 2 | Bavarian Forest National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 3 | Wadden Sea National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 4 | Pyrénées National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 5 | Cévennes National Park | 🇫🇷 France |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liverpool | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 2 | Birmingham | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 3 | Manchester | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 4 | Leeds | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 5 | Amsterdam | 🇳🇱 Netherlands | |
| 6 | London | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 7 | Kyiv | 🇺🇦 Ukraine | |
| 8 | Brussels | 🇧🇪 Belgium | |
| 9 | Copenhagen | 🇩🇰 Denmark | |
| 10 | Hamburg | 🇩🇪 Germany |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Small Magpie sighting in Wadden Sea National Park on a given day, based on 33 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 191st most-seen of the 818 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.
June
In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Small Magpie in Wadden Sea National Park on a given day, against under 5% in September to May, the lowest months.
Between 10 pm and 1 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Small Magpie sightings with a recorded time, and about half of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is seen both by day and at night.
Among the best
Of the 5 parks where we can rate Small Magpie sightings, Wadden Sea National Park ranks 3rd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Snowdonia National Park (United Kingdom, about 10%) and Bavarian Forest National Park (Germany, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Small Magpie is recorded against all the insects logged in Wadden Sea National Park (33 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.
