Parrhasius m-album
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Parrhasius m-album, or the white M hairstreak, is a species of butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in the United States from western Connecticut to southeast Iowa, southern Missouri to east Texas, the Gulf Coast, and peninsular Florida. On rare occasions some stray to Michigan and Wisconsin.
The wings are often iridescent near the bottom. The females are larger than the males in this species. The wingspan of Parrhasius m-album is 32–41 mm. The larvae feed on Quercus virginiana and other Quercus species. the larvae appear a light green color. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shenandoah National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Great Smoky Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Philadelphia | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | New York City | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Dallas | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Boston | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Houston | 🇺🇸 United States |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a White M Hairstreak sighting in New York City on a given day, based on 44 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 417th most-seen of the 1623 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.
September
In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report a White M Hairstreak in New York City on a given day, against under 5% in October to August, the lowest months.
Between 11 am and 2 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most White M Hairstreak sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 6 cities where we can rate White M Hairstreak sightings, New York City ranks 3rd at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Washington (United States, under 5%) and Philadelphia (United States, under 5%).
Same family: Lycaenidae
The closest relatives of the White M Hairstreak that you can see in New York City (family Lycaenidae, Gossamer-winged Butterflies) are Elkalyce comyntas (about 10%), Cyaniris neglecta (about 10%) and Red-Banded Hairstreak (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the White M Hairstreak is recorded against all the insects logged in New York City (44 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.
