Jamides alecto
In 3 days ~50% in a week ~80%
Jamides alecto, the metallic cerulean, is a small species of butterfly found in the Indomalayan realm but which crosses the Wallace line into the Australasian realm (Celebes). It belongs to the lycaenids or blues family.
Under-side pale pinkish grey, markings white but indistinct: fore wing with two lines across the end of the cell, continued to the hinder margin beyond its middle, two dislocated lines beyond in the fourth, fifth, and sixth interspaces, with a line in the third interspace from between the last two; two rows of submarginal lines and an indistinct marginal line, all three dislocated by the veins: hind wing with three rows of transverse double lines at equal distances apart, and a marginal series, all dislocated by the veins; a brownish spot... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sinharaja Forest Reserve | 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | |
| 2 | Doi Inthanon National Park | 🇹🇭 Thailand | |
| 3 | Taroko National Park | 🇹🇼 Taiwan |
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Metallic Cerulean sighting in Kathmandu on a given day, based on 14 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 22nd most-seen of the 71 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.
November
In that month about 50% of wildlife watchers report a Metallic Cerulean in Kathmandu on a given day, against under 5% in December to July, the lowest months. That is one of Kathmandu's driest months, with almost no rain against 280 mm in July.
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Metallic Cerulean sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 7 cities where we can rate Metallic Cerulean sightings, Kathmandu has the highest daily chance: about 20%. Next come Taipei (Taiwan, about 20%) and Tuen Mun (China, about 20%).
Same family: Lycaenidae
The closest relatives of the Metallic Cerulean that you can see in Kathmandu (family Lycaenidae, Gossamer-winged Butterflies) are Pale Grass Blue (about 20%), Pea Blue (about 20%) and Plains Cupid (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Metallic Cerulean is recorded against all the insects logged in Kathmandu (14 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.
