Olive-Haired Swift

Olive-Haired Swift

Borbo borbonica

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
at Antananarivo

In 3 days ~40% in a week ~60%

5 Verified sightings at Antananarivo
March Best month

About the Olive-Haired Swift

Borbo borbonica, the borbo skipper, Zeller's skipper or olive haired swift, is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae. It is found along the southern coasts of the Mediterranean Sea including SW Spain, but mainly in Syria, Arabia, Africa, Mauritius and Réunion.

The length of the forewings is 14–15 mm.The diskal spots on the upper surface of the dull brown forewings are translucent. The spot in Cu2-A is yellowish. The underside of the forewings is brown. The hind wing underside is yellowish brown. The palpi are leather-colored. Females are similar but slightly paler. There are three small, pale but distinct postdiscal spots on their hind wing underside.[The hindwing beneath with a postmedian row of 4—5 small white spots which are placed in a diffuse blackish area ( P. zelleri Led.)] Adults are on wing from September to October.

In North Africa Leersia oryzoides and Sorghum halepense have been recorded as food plants for the larvae. In Mauritius, they feed on various grasses, such as Panicum. In South-Africa, larvae have been recorded on Ehrharta erecta, Oryza, Pennisetum and Zea mays.The habitat is dry-hot, rocky coastal canyons and sand dunes with sparse vegetation Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability

More parks will be added in future updates.

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Antananarivo 🇲🇬 Madagascar
~10%
2 Tel Aviv 🇮🇱 Israel
~10%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing an Olive-Haired Swift in Antananarivo?

With luck

About 10% of wildlife watchers report an Olive-Haired Swift sighting in Antananarivo on a given day, based on 5 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 48th 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 60%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see an Olive-Haired Swift in Antananarivo?

March

In that month about 30% of wildlife watchers report an Olive-Haired Swift in Antananarivo on a given day, against under 5% in April, June–July, September–October and December–February, the lowest months. That is one of Antananarivo's wettest months, with about 300 mm of rain against 45 mm in September.

Is Antananarivo the best place to see an Olive-Haired Swift?

Yes

Of the 2 cities where we can rate Olive-Haired Swift sightings, Antananarivo has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Tel Aviv (Israel, about 10%).

Which relatives of the Olive-Haired Swift live in Antananarivo?

Same order: Lepidoptera

The closest relatives of the Olive-Haired Swift that you can see in Antananarivo (order Lepidoptera, Butterflies and Moths) are Royal Blue Pansy (about 60%), African Grass Blue (about 40%) and Island Brown Pansy (about 40%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Olive-Haired Swift sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Olive-Haired Swift is recorded against all the insects logged in Antananarivo (5 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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