Eicochrysops messapus
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~30%
Eicochrysops messapus, the cupreous blue, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in Africa. In South Africa it is rare and only known from the northern part of the Limpopo province and northern KwaZulu-Natal.
The wingspan is 17–22 mm for males and 17–24 mm for females. Adults are on wing year-round in warmer areas, with peaks in October and March. In cooler areas it is not found from April to September. The larvae probably feed on Thesium species. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilanesberg National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | iSimangaliso Wetland Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 3 | Garden Route National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 4 | Table Mountain National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Cupreous Blue sighting in Cape Town on a given day, based on 36 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 101st most-seen of the 311 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
January–May, July and November
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Cupreous Blue in Cape Town on a given day, against under 5% in June, August–October and December, the lowest months.
Between 11 am and 2 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Cupreous 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 2 cities where we can rate Cupreous Blue sightings, Cape Town ranks 2nd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Pretoria (South Africa, about 10%).
Same family: Lycaenidae
The closest relatives of the Cupreous Blue that you can see in Cape Town (family Lycaenidae, Gossamer-winged Butterflies) are African Grass Blue (about 20%), Geranium Bronze (about 10%) and Water Geranium Bronze (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Cupreous Blue is recorded against all the insects logged in Cape Town (36 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.
