Pale Small-Branded Swift

Pale Small-Branded Swift

Pelopidas thrax

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
at Antalya

In 3 days ~50% in a week ~80%

6 Verified sightings at Antalya
28 In all 2 parks From 2019 to 2026
September Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Pale Small-Branded Swift

Pelopidas thrax, the pale small-branded swift, millet skipper or white branded swift, is a butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae. It is found in Greece, western and south-western Turkey, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Arabia, most of Africa even semi-arid countries as Burkina Faso, Kashmir (northern Pakistan) and the parts of the Far East. In Greece, it is only known from Samos, Chios, and Rhodes, where it is found at altitudes of sea level to 75 meters.

The ground colour of the fore and hind wings is brown. The upper side has a series of white spots of different sizes. Males have a narrow white scent scale patch on the upper surface of the forewings. The translucent spots are arranged differently from Gegenes nostrodamus and Gegenes pumilio.

The egg is yellowish at first and later becomes salmon-colored. It is flattened, approximately 0.9mm high and 1.5mm in diameter. The surface is covered with about 60 very fine elongated ribs, which take up about two-thirds of the height (calculated from the base). They intersect with horizontal lines. The larvae hatch after eight days.

The caterpillar is up to 35 mm long (L6 stage). The body is light green with a darker... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~10%
2 Garden Route National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~10%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Antalya 🇹🇷 Turkey
~20%
2 Tel Aviv 🇮🇱 Israel
~20%
3 Cape Town 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Pale Small-Branded Swift in Antalya?

Possible

About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Pale Small-Branded Swift sighting in Antalya on a given day, based on 6 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 14th most-seen of the 26 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.

When is the best time to see a Pale Small-Branded Swift in Antalya?

September

In that month about 60% of wildlife watchers report a Pale Small-Branded Swift in Antalya on a given day, against under 5% in February–August and November–December, the lowest months. That is one of Antalya's driest months, with about 25 mm of rain against 180 mm in January.

What time of day is best to see a Pale Small-Branded Swift?

Between 9 am and noon

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Pale Small-Branded Swift sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Antalya the best place to see a Pale Small-Branded Swift?

Yes

Of the 3 cities where we can rate Pale Small-Branded Swift sightings, Antalya has the highest daily chance: about 20%. Next come Tel Aviv (Israel, about 20%) and Cape Town (South Africa, under 5%).

Where does the Pale Small-Branded Swift sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Pale Small-Branded Swift is recorded against all the insects logged in Antalya (6 verified sightings), 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.

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