Euchrysops malathana
In 3 days ~50% in a week ~80%
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 |
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Grey Smoky Blue sighting in Lusaka on a given day, based on 14 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 26th most-seen of the 72 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.
May
In that month about 50% of wildlife watchers report a Grey Smoky Blue in Lusaka on a given day, against under 5% in July–August and October–February, the lowest months. That is one of Lusaka's driest months, with almost no rain against 210 mm in January.
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.
Yes
Of the 4 cities where we can rate Grey Smoky Blue sightings, Lusaka has the highest daily chance: about 20%. Next come Antananarivo (Madagascar, about 20%) and Nairobi (Kenya, about 10%).
Same family: Lycaenidae
The closest relatives of the Grey Smoky Blue that you can see in Lusaka (family Lycaenidae, Gossamer-winged Butterflies) are African Grass Blue (about 90%), Lemolea Harvester (about 60%) and Geranium Bronze (about 60%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Grey Smoky Blue is recorded against all the insects logged in Lusaka (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.
