Anthene definita
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Anthene definita, the common ciliate blue or common hairtail, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in southern Africa. The wingspan is 21–27 mm for males and 24–29 mm for females. Adults are on wing year-round in warmer areas, with a peak in summer.
The larvae feed on Allophylus africanus, Pappea capensis, Mangifera indica, Myrica aethiopica, Myrica sericea, Acacia karroo, Acacia cyanophylla, Acacia saligna, Paraserianthus lophanta, Schotia, Bersama and Kalanchoe species. The larvae are associated with ants of the genus Iridomyrmyx. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Addo Elephant National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | Table Mountain National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 3 | Garden Route National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Common Ciliate Blue sighting in Durban on a given day, based on 5 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 345th most-seen of the 401 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 20%, if each day is a fresh chance.
April and August
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Common Ciliate Blue in Durban on a given day, against under 5% in May–July and September–March, the lowest months. Those are among Durban's driest months, with about 60 mm of rain a month against 210 mm in January.
Between 11 am and 2 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Common Ciliate Blue sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 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 Ciliate Blue sightings, Durban ranks 2nd at under 5%. The best odds are in Cape Town (South Africa, about 10%).
Same genus: Anthene
The closest relatives of the Common Ciliate Blue that you can see in Durban (genus Anthene) are Forest Hairtail (about 10%) and Pale Hairtail (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Common Ciliate Blue is recorded against all the insects logged in Durban (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.
