Aloeides thyra
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~40%
Aloeides thyra, the red copper, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in the Western Cape, South Africa. The wingspan is 22–26 mm for males and 24–28 mm females. Adults are on wing from July to April with peaks in October and February. There are several generations per year through the warmer months.
The larvae feed on Aspalathus acuminata, A. laricifolia and A. cymbiformis. The larvae are attended to by Lepisiota capensis ants. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Table Mountain National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 2 | Garden Route National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cape Town | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Red Copper sighting in Table Mountain National Park on a given day, based on 96 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 61st most-seen of the 344 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 40%, if each day is a fresh chance.
September to March
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Red Copper in Table Mountain National Park on a given day, against under 5% in April to August, the lowest months.
Between 9 am and noon
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Red Copper sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Red Copper sightings, Table Mountain National Park has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Garden Route National Park (South Africa, under 5%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Red Copper is recorded against all the insects logged in Table Mountain National Park (96 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.
