Protogoniomorpha parhassus
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~50%
Protogoniomorpha parhassus, the forest mother-of-pearl or common mother-of-pearl, is a species of Nymphalidae butterfly found in forested areas of Africa. P. p. parhassus, the forest mother-of-pearl, from Tropical Africa
The male and female are similar in colour and pattern. The base colour of the upper surface of the wings is greenish white with a violet sheen in the wet-season form, and pearly white in the dry-season form. The forewing has a black-tipped, hooked apex. The wings have a few red eyespots which are ringed with black. There are black spots near the margins of both the forewings and hindwings. The underside of the wings has a greenish-white base colour, with eyespots corresponding to those on the upper surface.
This species lays tiny eggs similar to those of Junonia and Precis species. The larvae are similar to those of Junonia and Precis species, but larger. They feed on Asystasia... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arusha National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 2 | iSimangaliso Wetland Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Common Mother-Of-Pearl sighting in iSimangaliso Wetland Park on a given day, based on 19 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 86th most-seen of the 316 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
April
In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Common Mother-Of-Pearl in iSimangaliso Wetland Park on a given day, against under 5% in January, June and October, the lowest months.
Between 11 am and 2 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Common Mother-Of-Pearl 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 Common Mother-Of-Pearl sightings, iSimangaliso Wetland Park ranks 2nd at about 10%. The best odds are in Arusha National Park (Tanzania, about 20%).
Same family: Nymphalidae
The closest relatives of the Common Mother-Of-Pearl that you can see in iSimangaliso Wetland Park (family Nymphalidae, Brush-footed Butterflies) are Dark Blue Pansy (about 30%), Dancing Amber (about 30%) and Novice (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Common Mother-Of-Pearl is recorded against all the insects logged in iSimangaliso Wetland Park (19 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.
