Euchrysops malathana
In 3 days ~40% in a week ~70%
Euchrysops malathana, the common smoky blue or smoky bean Cupid, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in south-western Arabia and Africa, south of the Sahara including Madagascar. The wingspan is 22–30 mm for males and 23–31 mm for females. Adults are on wing year-round, with a peak from December to May in South Africa.
The larvae feed on Sphenostylis angustifolius, Medicago, Psidium, Canavalia and Vigna species (including V. triloba and V. unguiculata). Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | iSimangaliso Wetland Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | Kruger National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lusaka | 🇿🇲 Zambia | |
| 2 | Antananarivo | 🇲🇬 Madagascar | |
| 3 | Nairobi | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 4 | Durban | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Grey Smoky Blue sighting in Antananarivo on a given day, based on 8 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 39th most-seen of the 59 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 40%, and over a week to about 70%, if each day is a fresh chance.
December
In that month about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Grey Smoky Blue in Antananarivo on a given day, against under 5% in January–May and July–September, the lowest months. That is one of Antananarivo's wettest months, with about 390 mm of rain against 45 mm in September.
Between 2 and 5 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Grey Smoky Blue sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 4 cities where we can rate Grey Smoky Blue sightings, Antananarivo ranks 2nd at about 20%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Lusaka (Zambia, about 20%).
Same family: Lycaenidae
The closest relatives of the Grey Smoky Blue that you can see in Antananarivo (family Lycaenidae, Gossamer-winged Butterflies) are African Grass Blue (about 40%), Madagascar Black-Eye (about 40%) and Tiny Grass Blue (about 30%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Grey Smoky Blue is recorded against all the insects logged in Antananarivo (8 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.
