Protogoniomorpha parhassus
In 3 days ~50% in a week ~80%
Protogoniomorpha parhassus, the forest mother-of-pearl or common mother-of-pearl, is a species of Nymphalidae butterfly found in forested areas of Africa. P. p. parhassus, the forest mother-of-pearl, from Tropical Africa
The male and female are similar in colour and pattern. The base colour of the upper surface of the wings is greenish white with a violet sheen in the wet-season form, and pearly white in the dry-season form. The forewing has a black-tipped, hooked apex. The wings have a few red eyespots which are ringed with black. There are black spots near the margins of both the forewings and hindwings. The underside of the wings has a greenish-white base colour, with eyespots corresponding to those on the upper surface.
This species lays tiny eggs similar to those of Junonia and Precis species. The larvae are similar to those of Junonia and Precis species, but larger. They feed on Asystasia... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arusha National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 2 | iSimangaliso Wetland Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Common Mother-Of-Pearl sighting in Durban on a given day, based on 177 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 4th most-seen of the 401 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 50%, and over a week to about 80%, if each day is a fresh chance.
August
In that month about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Common Mother-Of-Pearl in Durban on a given day, against about 10% in October to March, the lowest months. That is one of Durban's driest months, with about 40 mm of rain 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 Mother-Of-Pearl sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 3 cities where we can rate Common Mother-Of-Pearl sightings, Durban has the highest daily chance: about 20%. Next come Lusaka (Zambia, about 20%) and Nairobi (Kenya, about 10%).
Same family: Nymphalidae
The closest relatives of the Common Mother-Of-Pearl that you can see in Durban (family Nymphalidae, Brush-footed Butterflies) are Spotted Brown Pansy (about 30%), Dark Blue Pansy (about 20%) and Dusky Acraea (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Common Mother-Of-Pearl is recorded against all the insects logged in Durban (177 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.
