Euchrysops malathana
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Euchrysops malathana, the common smoky blue or smoky bean Cupid, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in south-western Arabia and Africa, south of the Sahara including Madagascar. The wingspan is 22–30 mm for males and 23–31 mm for females. Adults are on wing year-round, with a peak from December to May in South Africa.
The larvae feed on Sphenostylis angustifolius, Medicago, Psidium, Canavalia and Vigna species (including V. triloba and V. unguiculata). Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | iSimangaliso Wetland Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | Kruger National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lusaka | 🇿🇲 Zambia | |
| 2 | Antananarivo | 🇲🇬 Madagascar | |
| 3 | Nairobi | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 4 | Durban | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Grey Smoky 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.
January–February, April and October
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Grey Smoky Blue in Durban on a given day, against under 5% in March, May–September and November–December, the lowest months.
Between 2 and 5 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Grey Smoky Blue sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
4th of 4
Of the 4 cities where we can rate Grey Smoky Blue sightings, Durban ranks 4th at under 5%. The best odds are in Lusaka (Zambia, about 20%), Antananarivo (Madagascar, about 20%) and Nairobi (Kenya, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Grey Smoky 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.
