Mestra hersilia
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~30%
Mestra is a genus of nymphalid butterfly. It contains the single species Mestra dorcas, the Jamaican mestra, which is found from southern North America to South America and possibly Mestra cana, the St Lucia mestra, found in the Lesser Antilles (though this may be a misidentification).
The wingspan is 35–50 mm. Adults are on wing year round in southern Texas, but it is most numerous from June to November. They have been recorded feeding on the nectar of Lantana flowers. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
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More parks will be added in future updates.
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Mestra hersilia sighting in Caracas on a given day, based on 8 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 69th most-seen of the 107 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.
June to October
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Mestra hersilia in Caracas on a given day, against under 5% in November to May, the lowest months. Those are among Caracas's wettest months, with about 100 mm of rain a month against 15 mm in March.
Among the best
Of the 2 cities where we can rate Mestra hersilia sightings, Caracas ranks 2nd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Vitória (Brazil, about 10%).
Same family: Nymphalidae
The closest relatives of the Mestra hersilia that you can see in Caracas (family Nymphalidae, Brush-footed Butterflies) are White Peacock (about 20%), Red Peacock (about 20%) and Coconut Caterpillar (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Mestra hersilia is recorded against all the insects logged in Caracas (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.
