Marpesia zerynthia
In 3 days ~60% in a week ~90%
Marpesia zerynthia, the waiter, is a species of butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. Primarily found in Mesoamerica, it can also be observed in regions slightly north and south of this area. The distribution of Marpesia zerynthia is limited to the Neotropical realm. Specifically, it is known to occur in the South American countries of Peru, Bolivia, Colombia and northern Brazil. It also occurs in Mesoamerica, including central Mexico, and vagrants may rarely be observed as far north as Texas, United States. This species inhabits tropical deciduous and evergreen forests, and maycan be found in open areas. Marpesia zerynthia occurs at altitudes up to 2,400 m. It is generally a cloud-forest species, and so it is most common between approximately 800 to 1,800 m.
Eggs are laid singly on the leaves of trees and shrubs in the family Moraceae, which includes the genera Ficus (figs), Chlorophora, Brosimum and Artocarpus. Conical in shape, the eggs have 11 vertical ribs, as well as many less prominent horizontal ribs. The horizontal ribs are spaced further apart from each other, the further they are from the top of the egg. A micropyle is located at... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cusuco National Park | 🇭🇳 Honduras | |
| 2 | Itatiaia National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 3 | Podocarpus National Park | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | |
| 4 | Serra dos Órgãos National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 5 | Farallones de Cali National Natural Park | 🇨🇴 Colombia | |
| 6 | Chirripó National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 7 | Los Nevados National Natural Park | 🇨🇴 Colombia | |
| 8 | La Amistad International Park (Panama) | 🇵🇦 Panama |
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Waiter Daggerwing sighting in Itatiaia National Park on a given day, based on 16 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 4th most-seen of the 60 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 60%, and over a week to about 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
December
In that month about 50% of wildlife watchers report a Waiter Daggerwing in Itatiaia National Park on a given day, against under 5% in February and May–September, the lowest months. That is one of Itatiaia National Park's wettest months, with about 330 mm of rain against 25 mm in July.
Between 10 am and 1 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Waiter Daggerwing 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 8
Of the 8 parks where we can rate Waiter Daggerwing sightings, Itatiaia National Park ranks 2nd at about 20%. The best odds are in Cusuco National Park (Honduras, about 30%).
Same family: Nymphalidae
The closest relatives of the Waiter Daggerwing that you can see in Itatiaia National Park (family Nymphalidae, Brush-footed Butterflies) are Pierella nereis (about 20%), Brazilian Lady (about 20%) and Orsis Bluewing (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Waiter Daggerwing is recorded against all the insects logged in Itatiaia National Park (16 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.
