Reakirt's Blue

Reakirt's Blue

Echinargus isola

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Yosemite National Park

In 3 days ~10% in a week ~30%

11 Verified sightings at Yosemite National Park From 2019 to 2026
643 In all 12 parks
September Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Reakirt's Blue

Echinargus isola, or Reakirt's blue, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is the sole representative of the monotypic genus Echinargus. It is found in Central America and the extreme southern U.S. Echinargus isola migrates regularly throughout most of the U.S. almost to the Canada–United States border, and very rarely into the southern prairies.

The wingspan is 16–23 mm. Adults are on wing from June to October in the north and year-round in south. Its habitats include fields, gardens, open areas, and host plants. The larvae feed on Fabaceae, particularly mesquites (Prosopis species). Adults feed on flower nectar from spearmint, white sweet clover, and a variety of other herbs. Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Big Bend National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~30%
2 Saguaro National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~20%
3 Bahía de Loreto National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
~20%
4 Guadalupe Mountains National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~20%
5 Grand Canyon National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
6 Padre Island National Seashore 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
7 Cumbres de Monterrey National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
~10%
8 Death Valley National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
9 Joshua Tree National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
10 Rocky Mountain National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
11 Zion National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
12 Yosemite National Park 🇺🇸 United States
<5%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 San Antonio 🇺🇸 United States
~20%
2 Puebla 🇲🇽 México
~10%
3 Austin 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
4 Monterrey 🇲🇽 México
~10%
5 Denver 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
6 Guadalajara 🇲🇽 México
~10%
7 Mexico City 🇲🇽 México
~10%
8 San Luis Potosí 🇲🇽 México
~10%
9 Dallas 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
10 Torreón 🇲🇽 México
~10%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Reakirt's Blue in Yosemite National Park?

Rare

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Reakirt's Blue sighting in Yosemite National Park on a given day, based on 11 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 159th most-seen of the 227 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.

When is the best time to see a Reakirt's Blue in Yosemite National Park?

August and September

In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Reakirt's Blue in Yosemite National Park on a given day, against under 5% in October to July, the lowest months. Those are among Yosemite National Park's driest months, with about 25 mm of rain a month against 220 mm in January.

What time of day is best to see a Reakirt's Blue?

Between 11 am and 2 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Reakirt's Blue sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Which relatives of the Reakirt's Blue live in Yosemite National Park?

Same family: Lycaenidae

The closest relatives of the Reakirt's Blue that you can see in Yosemite National Park (family Lycaenidae, Gossamer-winged Butterflies) are Spring Azure (about 20%), Lustrous Copper (about 20%) and Greenish Blue (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Reakirt's Blue sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Reakirt's Blue is recorded against all the insects logged in Yosemite National Park (11 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.

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