Lycaeides melissa
In 3 days ~50% in a week ~80%
The Melissa blue (Plebejus melissa) is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in western North America, from Canada to Mexico. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Badlands National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Yellowstone National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Melissa Blue sighting in Badlands National Park on a given day, based on 20 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 6th most-seen of the 37 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 50%, and over a week to about 80%, if each day is a fresh chance.
September
In that month about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Melissa Blue in Badlands National Park on a given day, against under 5% in March–April and October–November, the lowest months.
Between noon and 3 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Melissa Blue sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Melissa Blue sightings, Badlands National Park has the highest daily chance: about 20%. Next come Yellowstone National Park (United States, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Melissa Blue is recorded against all the insects logged in Badlands National Park (20 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.
