Aloeides thyra
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
Aloeides thyra, the red copper, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in the Western Cape, South Africa. The wingspan is 22–26 mm for males and 24–28 mm females. Adults are on wing from July to April with peaks in October and February. There are several generations per year through the warmer months.
The larvae feed on Aspalathus acuminata, A. laricifolia and A. cymbiformis. The larvae are attended to by Lepisiota capensis ants. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Table Mountain National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | Garden Route National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cape Town | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Red Copper sighting in Garden Route National Park on a given day, based on 8 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 196th most-seen of the 298 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
February, May, August and October–December
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Red Copper in Garden Route National Park on a given day, against under 5% in January, March–April, June–July and September, the lowest months.
Between 9 am and noon
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Red Copper sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
2nd of 2
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Red Copper sightings, Garden Route National Park ranks 2nd at under 5%. The best odds are in Table Mountain National Park (South Africa, about 10%).
Same family: Lycaenidae
The closest relatives of the Red Copper that you can see in Garden Route National Park (family Lycaenidae, Gossamer-winged Butterflies) are African Grass Blue (about 20%), Geranium Bronze (about 10%) and Water Geranium Bronze (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Red Copper is recorded against all the insects logged in Garden Route National Park (8 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.
