Eryphanis polyxena
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
Eryphanis automedon, the Automedon giant owl, is a species of butterfly belonging to the family Nymphalidae. Eryphanis automedon has a wingspan reaching about 55–60 millimetres (2.2–2.4 in). In males the dorsal sides of the wings show night blue iridescent patches, extending from submedial to postmedial areas, with well defined borders separating the non-iridescent sections. Ventral sides vary from faded brown to caramel color, with various eyespots. The female wingspan is slightly larger, with a slightly different wing color pattern.
This butterfly can live up to six weeks and flies in the dark forests of Latin America. It is a fast flying butterfly. The caterpillars are cryptically colored and feed at night on Poaceae host plants (mainly bamboo leaves), of which the elongated chrysalis mimics the appearance of a dried leaf.
This butterfly is native to South America. It is present from Venezuela to the Guianas and Brazil and from Colombia to Paraguay, at an elevation of 0–1,000 metres (0–3,281 ft) above sea level. Eryphanis automedon automedon (Suriname) Eryphanis automedon lycomedon (C... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iguazú National Park | 🇦🇷 Argentina | |
| 2 | Iguaçu National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report an Eryphanis polyxena sighting in Iguaçu National Park on a given day, based on 6 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 224th most-seen of the 279 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 40%, if each day is a fresh chance.
May and October–February
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report an Eryphanis polyxena in Iguaçu National Park on a given day, against under 5% in March–April and June–September, the lowest months.
Between 7 and 10 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Eryphanis polyxena 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 2 parks where we can rate Eryphanis polyxena sightings, Iguaçu National Park ranks 2nd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Iguazú National Park (Argentina, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Eryphanis polyxena is recorded against all the insects logged in Iguaçu National Park (6 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.
