Tharsalea arota
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~50%
Lycaena arota, the tailed copper, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in North America from New Mexico north and west to Oregon, south to southern California and Baja California, Mexico. The average wingspan ranges from 30–35 mm. Adults are on wing from May to August in one generation per year. The migration of butterflies can be caused by various factors such as the distribution of food plants, evasion of natural enemies, and climate change. They feed on flower nectar.
The larvae feed on the leaves of Ribes species. The species overwinters as an egg. It is commonly confused with two other species, Lycaena gorgon and Lycaena xanthoides. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grand Canyon National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Yosemite National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Tailed Copper sighting in Grand Canyon National Park on a given day, based on 14 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 47th most-seen of the 143 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
July
In that month about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Tailed Copper in Grand Canyon National Park on a given day, against under 5% in August to May, the lowest months.
Between 11 am and 2 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Tailed 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.
Yes
Of the 3 parks where we can rate Tailed Copper sightings, Grand Canyon National Park has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks (United States, about 10%) and Yosemite National Park (United States, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Tailed Copper is recorded against all the insects logged in Grand Canyon National Park (14 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.
