Leptosia alcesta
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~60%
Leptosia alcesta, the African wood white or flip flop, is a butterfly of the family Pieridae, found in Africa. The wingspan is 30–40 mm in males and 35–42 mm in females. The adults fly year-round, peaking from March to May.
The larvae feed on Ritchiea species, Capparis fascicularis, and Capparis brassii. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | uMkhuze Game Reserve | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | iSimangaliso Wetland Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 3 | Nairobi National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 4 | Kruger National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report an African Wood White sighting in Nairobi on a given day, based on 14 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 52nd most-seen of the 123 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 60%, if each day is a fresh chance.
November
In that month about 30% of wildlife watchers report an African Wood White in Nairobi on a given day, against under 5% in October and December–June, the lowest months. That is one of Nairobi's wettest months, with about 120 mm of rain against 25 mm in July.
Between 11 am and 2 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most African Wood White 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 2 cities where we can rate African Wood White sightings, Nairobi has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Durban (South Africa, about 10%).
Same family: Pieridae
The closest relatives of the African Wood White that you can see in Nairobi (family Pieridae, Whites, Yellows, and Sulphurs) are Pioneer White (about 20%), African Migrant (about 20%) and African Caper (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the African Wood White is recorded against all the insects logged in Nairobi (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.
