Africa Wild Insect Book: Butterflies (Lepidoptera)

[Toko]

Brown-veined White Belenois aurota aurota (Grasveldwitjie)
Family: Pieridae. Subfamily: Pierinae. Tribe: Pierini

© leachy
Kruger National Park

Description
Wingspan: ♂ 40–45 mm ♀ 42–50 mm. Hindwing veins on the underside broadly brown.
Males white, with black-tipped, white-spotted forewings, black comma at end of forewing cell. White spotted black outer margin to hind wings; veins of hind wings and black areas of fore wings outlined with brown on underside.
Females with more extensive black markings and no white on black fore wing tip; underside of wings with patches of yellow in addition to black markings.

Distribution
Common and widespread species that migrates in vast numbers almost every year: numbers grow in home areas until overcrowding triggers lemming-type migration, usually Dec–Feb, in a northeasterly direction. Bad weather usually brings these migrations to a halt.

Habitat
Widespread in open country. Both sexes found feeding on flowers or on damp sand or mud.

Biology
Flight period: Year-round in home areas.
Larval food plant includes Boscia spp, Maerua spp, and Capparis spp.

Links: Mike Picker, Charles Griffiths, Alan Weaving: Field Guide to Insects of South Africa; Ivor Migdoll's Field Guide to the Butterflies of Southern Africa

© Kesheshe
Kruger National Park

© steamtrainfan
Garden in Pretoria

© BluTuna
Garden in Johannesburg

© leachy

© leachy
Kruger National Park

© mposthumus

© Mel
Union's End Waterhole, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

© Flutterby

[Toko]

African Common White Belenois creona severina (Afrikaanse Gewone Witjie)
Family: Pieridae. Subfamily: Pierinae. Tribe: Pierini

© Dewi
Male, dry season from, Kosi Forest Lodge, KwaZulu-Natal

© Heksie
Kruger National Park

Description
Wingspan: ♂ 40–45 mm ♀ 42–50 mm. Sexually dimorphic. Hindwing with submarginal and marginal areas broadly dark brown to black.
Males: Uppersides are white with black or brown marginal borders and veins in forewing apex. A black spot exists in the upper side cell instead of a bar is in the Brown-veined White (B. aurota).
Females have broader dark upperside borders on both wings. Underwings are yellow during wet season

Taxonomy
The following subspecies are recognised:
B. c. creona (Senegal to Nigeria, Sudan, east Ethiopia)
B. c. benadirensis (in Somalia)
B. c. boguensis (Ethiopia)
B. c. elisa (on the Comoros)
B. c. leucogyne (on the Arabian Peninsula)
B. c. prorsus (on Madagascar)
B. c. severina (South Africa to east Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo)

Distribution
South Africa to east Africa. Can be a prolific migrant at times, especially north of South Africa, but not as often as the Brown-veined White.

Habitat
A common, widespread species that inhabits bushveld and woodland areas. Males do not fly as fast as others of the genus and are often seen flying in a leisurely manner around their woodland habitat.

Biology
Flight period: Year-round, peak November–March. Scarce in midwinter except along the KwaZulu-Natal coast.

Links: Ivor Migdoll's Field Guide to the Butterflies of Southern Africa

© Kesheshe

© Kesheshe

© Kesheshe

© Kesheshe
Kruger National Park

© Kesheshe
Kruger National Park

© Kesheshe
Kruger National Park

© Kesheshe
Kruger National Park

© BluTuna
Kruger National Park

Links:
https://www.metamorphosis.org.za/articl ... uebner.pdf

[Toko]

Cabbage White Pieris brassicae (Koolwitjie)
Family: Pieridae. Subfamily: Pierinae. Tribe: Pierini

© Michele Nel
Kirstenbosch, Western Cape

Description
Large (wingspan 58 mm). Antennae black, tips white. Both sexes are creamy-white. Both sexes have greyish yellow speckles on the underside of hindwing and black-tipped area on underside of fore wings.
Males are white, with a black tip to fore wings and some black at base of wings.
Females usually larger than males. Females have two black spots on fore wings, parallel with margin, a short black dash on inner fore wing margin, and a black spot on front margin of the hind wings.
The caterpillars are nondescript with a yellowish-green base colour adorned with black blotches, a black head and backside. For protection, they are covered in small white or translucent hairs, and produce a chemical that makes them distasteful to predators such as birds.

Distribution
The cabbage white is South Africa’s only alien butterfly, and it is expanding its range continuously. The butterfly may have reached the Western Cape as a migrant from Europe, where it is one of the most abundant species. The butterfly established itself rapidly throughout the entire Cape peninsula. It has spread over large areas of the Western Cape and even further.

Habitat
Gardens and smallholdings.

Biology
Larvae feed mainly on crucifers, especially cabbages, and nasturtiums.

Links: AG: The cabbage white butterfly land grab

[BluTuna]

Common Dotted Border, Eastern Dotted Border Mylothris agathina agathina (Gewone voëlent-witjie)
Family: Pieridae. Subfamily: Pierinae. Tribe: Pierini

© BluTuna
Kruger National Park

Description
Wingspan: ♂ 50–60 mm ♀ 52–65 mm. Forewing base not orange (as in Twin Dotted Border) on both surfaces of the wings. The male has the upperside white: the forewings have a black front margin and black tips and there are round black dots along the outer margins of both wings. Females are pale yellow. In both sexes hind wings yellow.

Distribution
It is found in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia and southern and eastern South Africa and Swaziland. Its range has spread Westwards around the coast in recent decades however, and it now occurs to the north of Cape Town to somewhat beyond Saldanha.
Range in South Africa: Limpopo Province, Mpumalanga, North West Province, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape Province, Western Cape Province.

Habitat
Widespread through most wooded habitats from bushveld to forest. Frequent garden visitor.

Biology
Flight period: Year-round, peaks Oct and Feb–Apr. Typical, slow, floating flight, high in trees, as for other members of the genus. Both sexes frequently visit flowers and males sometimes mud-puddle.
Together with the Twin Dotted Border, larvae use several species of Loranthaceae mistletoes.

Links: Subtribe Aporiina - Afrotropical Butterflies and Skippers

© Heksie
Kruger National Park

© BluTuna
Hartebeespoort Dam area, North West Province

© BluTuna
Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden, Johannesburg

[Toko]

African Wood White Leptosia alcesta inalcesta (Fladderpapiertjie)
Family: Pieridae. Subfamily: Pierinae. Tribe: Anthocharini




Nelspruit © Richprins


© wynand

© wynand

© wynand

© wynand
Riverine forest, Blyde River, Lowveld.

Description
Wingspan males 30-40 mm females 35-42 mm.
Upperside whit with a dark brown tip over the curve of the forewing apex and a large brown spot in the outer half of the forewing. The underside is white with light speckling of black over the hindwing and at the base and the apex of the forewing. There may be yellow marks within the speckling. The dark spot is also visible on the underside of the forweing.

Distribution
From coastal Natal and Zululand through Swaziland to the eastern Transvaal and the Soutpansberg.

Habitat
The only South African pierid found in deep wetter forest; prefers shady places in the undergrowth.

Biology
Foodplants: Capparis fascicularis, and Capparis brassii.
The adults fly year-round, peaking from March to May.

[BluTuna]

African Migrant, Common Vagrant, African Vagrant Catopsilia florella (Afrikaanse Swerwer)
Family: Pieridae. Subfamily: Coliadinae

© BluTuna
Timbavati picnic spot, Kruger National Park

© BluTuna
Kruger National Park

© nan
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

Description
Wingspan: ♂ 54–60 mm ♀ 56–66 mm.
Body greyish white.
This butterfly is yellow in the wet season and white in the dry season.
Wings white with a greenish sheen in male, yellwow with tan margins in female, vivid yellow when freshly emerged. Single black spot near front margin of fore wing.

Links:
http://www.metamorphosis.org.za/article ... Hubner.pdf
Similar species: Superficially similar to Nepheronia buquetii, which has green eyes, while C. florella has brown eyes.

Distribution
Very common in all Africa, Madagascar, Canary Islands, tropical Asia. Throughout southern Africa, except dry areas. A common migrant throughout Africa. Sporadic migrations of this species have been recorded for over 100 years. Often flies in millions in a northeasterly direction across Botswana and the northern provinces of South Africa.

Habitat
Found throughout in a variety of habitats from open grasslands and bush to margins of forest, gardens.

Biology
A frequent visitor of all kinds of flowers and at damp sand. Larva feeds on the common weed Senna didymobotrya and its indigenous relatives.
Flight period: Continuous broods, year-round. Migrations usually occur from summer to autumn, flying in a northeasterly direction. These migrations occur from late Nov–Jan.

© BluTuna
Female, garden in Johannesburg

© GlosterBirder
Tydon Safari Camp, Sabi Sands

© Sprocky
Female, Grietjie Private Reserve, Limpopo, South Africa

[nan]

Broad-bordered Grass Yellow Eurema brigitta brigitta (Grasveldgeletjie)
Family Pieridae. Subfamily Coliadinae

© nan
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

Description
Wingspan: 30–35 mm. Body black. Wings bright yellow. Hindwing outer margin evenly rounded. Broad black marking on each wing. Black markings reduced in dry season forms.

Distribution
Eurema brigitta is found across the entire African continent including Madagascar. It also occurs in Arabia, the Indian subcontinent, south-east Asia, Papua New Guinea and Australia. Subspecies Eurema brigitta brigitta is found in tropical Africa.

Habitat
This is a savannah and grassland species but it sometimes enters forests during the dry season. Found throughout most habitats of South Africa except the southwestern parts of the Western Cape and the Karoo. Flight is slow and low, seldom higher than 1 m above the ground. Feeds avidly on flowers and damp sand.

Biology
Flight period: Continuous broods, all year. Peaks in late summer.
Like other Grass Yellows, larvae feed on the Fishbone Dwarf Cassia Chamaecrista mimosoides and the Small Hypericum Hypericum aethiopicum.

Links:
https://www.metamorphosis.org.za/articl ... [1821].pdf


© mposthumus

© Heksie
Kruger National Park

© BluTuna
Dry season form, Gauteng


Nelspruit, South Africa © Richprins

[BluTuna]

Citrus Swallowtail, Christmas Butterfly, Orange Dog Papilio demodocus demodocus (Lemoenskoenlapper, Lemoenvlinder)
Family: Papilionidae. Subfamily: Papilioninae. Tribe: Papilionini.

© BluTuna

Description
Wingspan: ♂ 100–120 mm ♀ 110–130 mm
The forewings are black. At the margin there are two chains of little yellow spots. In the middle of wing there is a chain of big yellow spots. At the wing leading edge there are some big yellow spots. Nearby the body there is a yellow pollinate area.
The underside is a copy of upside, but there are some yellow lines nearby the body.
The hind wings are black and have no tails. The margin is ridged. At the margin there are two chains of little yellow spots. In the middle of wing there is a broad yellow band, which contains one big black and blue eye. In back there is a blue, black and red eye.
The underside is copy of upside, but there is an extra chain of blue and brown spots. Furthermore there is a big black blue and brown spot in the middle of wing and some yellow lines nearby the body.
The body is black, but the underside is yellow.
The female is larger than the male and the anterior blue spots of her hindwings (obscured here) have orange on the outer side as opposed to yellow in the male.
The caterpillar is green with a band of dummy eyes. It can reach a length of about 4.5 cm.

Distribution
Papilio demodocus is found across most of sub-Saharan Africa, including Madagascar, and is also found in s.w. Arabia. Common and widespread throughout South Africa; absent from extremely arid areas.

Habitat
The Citrus Swallowtail is found in a wide variety of habitats ranging from semi-desert and acacia scrub to secondary forest, arboreta, parks and gardens. It can be found at altitudes between sea level and at least 1200m. Common garden butterfly.

Biology
Flight period: Continuous broods year-round, mainly Sept–May.
Males show strong hilltopping behaviour. This is perhaps the most conspicuous of all hilltopping species. In hilly areas the butterflies migrate to the peaks, where courtship and copulation take place. Males sit and bask on bushes, or among tall grasses, often for half an hour or longer. Periodically they take to the wing and then spend several minutes at a time circling around the hilltops, gliding on thermals, but they usually return to the same perching place afterwards.
Males often settle on damp ground to imbibe mineralised moisture, especially in the dry season, but both sexes are more commonly seen when visiting flowers.
The larvae, when plentiful, can do damage to citrus orchards, where they are commonly known as Orange Dogs.

Links: Learn about Butterflies; butterflycorner.net; The Citrus Swallowtail Butterfly - Resources for Biology Teaching;
http://www.biodiversityexplorer.org/but ... odocus.htm
http://metamorphosis.org.za/articlesPDF ... nnaeus.pdf

© BluTuna
Kruger National Park

© mposthumus
Kruger National Park, Orpen dam

© BluTuna

© BluTuna

© BluTuna
Magaliesberg, Gauteng

[BluTuna]

Green-banded Swallowtail, Black Velvet Papilio nireus lyaeus (Groenlint-swaelstert)
Family: Papilionidae. Subfamily: Papilioninae. Tribe: Papilionini.

© BluTuna

© BluTuna
Hartebeespoort Dam area, North West Province

Description
Wingspan: ♂ 75–90 mm ♀ 85–95 mm.
The fore wings are black. At the wing-tip little, greenish spots. A green band dominates the wing. The underside is dark-brown. The hind wings are black. The edge is wavy. At the outer edge there is a chain of little, greenish spots. A broad, greenish band dominates the wing. The underside is dark-brown. At the outer edge there is a chain of golden spots. At the inner edge there are two golden spots. Hindwing without tails.
Male with a jet-black upperside with greenish blue transverse band. Female upperside brownish black with a bluish green transverse band.
The body (abdomen) is black. The thorax and the head are black.

Distribution
Subsaharan Africa, from South Sudan to Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia (Caprivi), South Africa (found in Eastern parts of South Africa and down into the Western Cape), Swaziland.

Subspecies
P. n. aristophontes (Comoro Is.)
P. n. lyaeus – Narrowly Green-banded Swallowtail (Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland)
P. n. nireus (Senegal, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, southern Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Congo, Angola, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, western Tanzania, Zambia)
P. n. pseudonireus (northern Kenya, northern Uganda, southern Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea)
P. n. wilsoni (Ethiopia)

Habitat
A common and widespread woodland and forest species, most commonly seen along logging roads or in secondary forest, but it also penetrates savannah habitats where it flies along riparian edges. It has migratory tendencies, so can also be found in botanical gardens, arboreta, parks and even occasionally in city gardens.
Readily attracted to fl owers and fond of drinking on the mud at the edge of streams or pools. Also attracted to fresh animal droppings.

Biology
Flight period: Year-round in warmer areas, peaks Nov and Feb.
The larvae feed on Calodendrum capense, Teclea species, Vepris species, and Citrus species.


https://metamorphosis.org.za/articlesPD ... nnaeus.pdf

[Toko]

Large Striped Swordtail Graphium antheus (Jag-swaardstert)
Family: Papilionidae. Subfamily: Papilioninae. Tribe: Leptocircini.

© aat
Kruger National Park

Description
Wingspan: ♂ 65–70 mm ♀ 70–75 mm. Sexes similar.
Large, brilliant turquoise and black swordtail. This swallowtail has distinctive, long, curved tails and large wings. Upperside black with numerous, scattered, pale turquoise patches and stripes of varying size. Transverse bands in forewing cell wavy (compare Small Striped Swordtail). Hindwing with long, thin, pointed, white-tipped black tail. Small, blood-red spot at inner margin on hindwing.

Distribution
Tropical Africa, in Swaziland, eastern South Africa, northern Botswana, northern Namibia, Mozambique and Zimbabwe.

Habitat
Inhabits coastal lowland forest and bushveld areas. Males patrol along the edges of bush as well as rocky hill slopes.

Biology
Flight period: Continuous broods in warmer months, peak Nov–Dec, sometimes flying as late as May.

© Super Mongoose

© Super Mongoose

© Super Mongoose

© Super Mongoose
Marakele National Park