Anthene definita
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%
Anthene definita, the common ciliate blue or common hairtail, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in southern Africa. The wingspan is 21–27 mm for males and 24–29 mm for females. Adults are on wing year-round in warmer areas, with a peak in summer.
The larvae feed on Allophylus africanus, Pappea capensis, Mangifera indica, Myrica aethiopica, Myrica sericea, Acacia karroo, Acacia cyanophylla, Acacia saligna, Paraserianthus lophanta, Schotia, Bersama and Kalanchoe species. The larvae are associated with ants of the genus Iridomyrmyx. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Addo Elephant National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | Table Mountain National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 3 | Garden Route National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Common Ciliate Blue sighting in Table Mountain National Park on a given day, based on 29 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 119th most-seen of the 344 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.
April–June and November
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Common Ciliate Blue in Table Mountain National Park on a given day, against under 5% in July–October and December–March, the lowest months.
Between 11 am and 2 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Common Ciliate Blue sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
2nd of 3
Of the 3 parks where we can rate Common Ciliate Blue sightings, Table Mountain National Park ranks 2nd at under 5%. The best odds are in Addo Elephant National Park (South Africa, about 10%).
Same family: Lycaenidae
The closest relatives of the Common Ciliate Blue that you can see in Table Mountain National Park (family Lycaenidae, Gossamer-winged Butterflies) are African Grass Blue (about 10%), Water Geranium Bronze (about 10%) and Geranium Bronze (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Common Ciliate Blue is recorded against all the insects logged in Table Mountain National Park (29 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.
