Erebia epipsodea
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~60%
Erebia epipsodea, the common alpine, is a butterfly species of the subfamily Satyrinae of family Nymphalidae. It is found in North America from Alaska south through the Rocky Mountains to northern New Mexico and east across the prairie provinces to southwest Manitoba.
The wingspan is 34–45 mm (1.3–1.8 in). Adults are on wing from mid-June to early August. The larvae feed on various grass species. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elk Island National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 2 | Yellowstone National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Jasper National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 4 | Banff National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 5 | Riding Mountain National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 6 | Grand Teton National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 7 | Glacier National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | Rocky Mountain National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Common Alpine sighting in Banff National Park on a given day, based on 34 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 25th most-seen of the 105 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 60%, if each day is a fresh chance.
June and July
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Common Alpine in Banff National Park on a given day, against under 5% in August to May, the lowest months.
Between 11 am and 2 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Common Alpine sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
4th of 8
Of the 8 parks where we can rate Common Alpine sightings, Banff National Park ranks 4th at about 10%. The best odds are in Elk Island National Park (Canada, about 20%), Yellowstone National Park (United States, about 10%) and Jasper National Park (Canada, about 10%).
Same family: Nymphalidae
The closest relatives of the Common Alpine that you can see in Banff National Park (family Nymphalidae, Brush-footed Butterflies) are Pearl Crescent (about 30%), Milbert's Tortoiseshell (about 20%) and Mourning Cloak (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Common Alpine is recorded against all the insects logged in Banff National Park (34 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.
