Incisalia eryphon
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~50%
The western pine elfin (Callophrys eryphon) is a North American butterfly that ranges from British Columbia east to Maine and south to southern California, Arizona, and New Mexico. Males are brown and females are orange-brown, with both having bold patterned hind wings. The top of the wings have dark bars with a lighter chevron shaped margin. The body is 19–32 mm in length and has no tail.
This butterfly is found in natural pine woods and evergreen forests. In the northwest United States they are found nesting in lodgepole pines and can be seen perched on shrubs and smaller trees while searching for food or looking for a mate. The western pine elfin is seldom seen outside its natural habitat. They feed on flower nectar including wild blueberries, milkweed, and clover. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grand Teton National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Rocky Mountain National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Yellowstone National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Jasper National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 5 | Glacier National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Banff National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 7 | Yosemite National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Western Pine Elfin sighting in Yellowstone National Park on a given day, based on 36 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 33rd most-seen of the 160 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.
June
In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Western Pine Elfin in Yellowstone National Park on a given day, against under 5% in August to April, the lowest months.
Between 11 am and 2 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Western Pine Elfin sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 7 parks where we can rate Western Pine Elfin sightings, Yellowstone National Park ranks 3rd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Grand Teton National Park (United States, about 10%) and Rocky Mountain National Park (United States, about 10%).
Same family: Lycaenidae
The closest relatives of the Western Pine Elfin that you can see in Yellowstone National Park (family Lycaenidae, Gossamer-winged Butterflies) are Boisduval's Blue (about 10%), Edith's Copper (about 10%) and Blue Copper (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Western Pine Elfin is recorded against all the insects logged in Yellowstone National Park (36 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.
