Girl discovers new moth species in Finland

A 12-year-old girl in Raasepori has discovered a moth species never before recorded in northern Europe, according to a report by Finnish broadcaster Yle.

Sara Mutanen found the Cuprina fuscella moth near her family’s summer cottage while examining ferns, a plant not previously known to host any moth species. The closest confirmed sighting of the species was in Austria in 2013.

About 20 individuals were found at the site, indicating an established population rather than a stray specimen. The discovery is considered highly unusual, as Finland’s moth species have been extensively studied for nearly two centuries.

Lauri Kaila of the Finnish Museum of Natural History identified the moth, which belongs to a previously unrecorded genus and subfamily in Finland. Professor Marko Mutanen of the University of Oulu, Sara’s godfather and a moth researcher, called the find “sensational” and unexpected, noting that such discoveries are rare even after decades of study.

Sara, who collects moths with her father and older brother, said she initially showed the specimen to her father because she did not recognize it. The family celebrated the discovery with a three-course dinner, a tradition they had agreed upon years earlier for such an occasion.

Researchers have yet to determine whether the species has long been present in Finland or arrived recently. Finland is home to roughly 2,700 known moth species.