Erora laeta
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Erora laeta, the early hairstreak, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in eastern Canada and the United States. The habitat consists of deciduous and mixed woods. The wingspan is 21–24 mm. The larvae are associated with American beech (Fagus grandifolia), and possibly also beaked hazelnut (Corylus cornuta). They feed on the leaves and fruits of their host plant. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shenandoah National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Great Smoky Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report an Early Hairstreak sighting in Great Smoky Mountains National Park on a given day, based on 13 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 819th most-seen of the 822 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.
March
In that month about 10% of wildlife watchers report an Early Hairstreak in Great Smoky Mountains National Park on a given day, against under 5% in April to February, the lowest months.
Between 1 and 4 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Early Hairstreak sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all 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 Early Hairstreak sightings, Great Smoky Mountains National Park ranks 2nd at under 5%. The best odds are in Shenandoah National Park (United States, about 10%).
Same family: Lycaenidae
The closest relatives of the Early Hairstreak that you can see in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (family Lycaenidae, Gossamer-winged Butterflies) are Elkalyce comyntas (about 20%), Cyaniris neglecta (about 20%) and Red-Banded Hairstreak (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Early Hairstreak is recorded against all the insects logged in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (13 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.
