Erebia epipsodea
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
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 |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Common Alpine sighting in Calgary on a given day, based on 38 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 84th most-seen of the 256 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
June
In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Common Alpine in Calgary on a given day, against under 5% in July to May, the lowest months. That is one of Calgary's wettest months, with about 120 mm of rain against 15 mm in January.
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.
2nd of 2
Of the 2 cities where we can rate Common Alpine sightings, Calgary ranks 2nd at under 5%. The best odds are in Edmonton (Canada, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Common Alpine is recorded against all the insects logged in Calgary (38 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.
