Cacyreus marshalli
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~50%
The geranium bronze or brun des pélargoniums in French (Cacyreus marshalli), is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. The geranium bronze butterfly is native to South Africa. The butterfly was first introduced to Europe in the late 20th century, where it has quickly spread to many southern and eastern European regions. Since its introduction to Europe, the geranium bronze butterfly has become a pest to cultivated Pelargonium and Geranium plant species. Currently, efforts are being made to contain the spread of the geranium bronze butterflies as well as to determine the most effective pesticide for the species.
The adult geranium bronze butterfly's wingspan ranges from 15–23 mm in males and 18–23 mm in females. The wings are brown/bronze with a white border outlining the wings. The underside is a grey-brown with darker bands interlaced with white, creating an intricate pattern. The hindwings contain an eye spot in order to divert predators from attacking. The male and female are similar in appearance.
The geranium bronze was first recorded in regions of South Africa, including KwaZulu-Natal and the Cape Provinces, as well as in neighbouring countries... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Addo Elephant National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | Sierra Nevada National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 3 | Table Mountain National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 4 | Garden Route National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 5 | Sierra de Guadarrama National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 6 | Doñana National Park | 🇪🇸 Spain | |
| 7 | Pyrénées National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 8 | Cévennes National Park | 🇫🇷 France |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Geranium Bronze sighting in Sierra de Guadarrama National Park on a given day, based on 43 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 88th most-seen of the 597 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.
September
In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Geranium Bronze in Sierra de Guadarrama National Park on a given day, against under 5% in March–April and December–January, the lowest months.
Between 11 am and 2 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Geranium Bronze sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 8 parks where we can rate Geranium Bronze sightings, Sierra de Guadarrama National Park ranks 5th at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Addo Elephant National Park (South Africa, about 10%), Sierra Nevada National Park (Spain, about 10%) and Table Mountain National Park (South Africa, about 10%).
Same family: Lycaenidae
The closest relatives of the Geranium Bronze that you can see in Sierra de Guadarrama National Park (family Lycaenidae, Gossamer-winged Butterflies) are Small Copper (about 30%), Southern Brown Argus (about 20%) and Iberian Sooty Copper (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Geranium Bronze is recorded against all the insects logged in Sierra de Guadarrama National Park (43 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.
