Africa Wild Insect Book: Butterflies (Lepidoptera)

[Flutterby]

Garden Acraea Acraea horta (Tuinrooitjie)
Family: Nymphalidae. Subfamily: Helyconiinae. Tribe: Acraeini


Female



© steamtrainfan

© steamtrainfan

© steamtrainfan
Garden, Gauteng

© BluTuna
Garden in Johannesburg

Description
It has a typical wingspan of 45-50 mm for males and 49-53 mm for females. Body black. Wings reddish-orange. Forewings have translucent tips. Hindwings spotted black. Flight slow, floppy.
Acraea horta is the type-species of the genus and is the most common and widespread of all the acraeas.

Distribution
Found throughout South Africa except arid regions and Zimbabwe.



Habitat
The Garden acraea is one of the most common butterflies in Cape Town gardens but can be found in woodlands and gardens throughout the moister regions of South Africa.

Biology
Secretes distasteful fluid when attacked.
Adults are on wing year round, but are more common from October to April. Eggs are laid in clusters of about 40 (about 150 maximum per cluster) on leaves of the host plant - either Wild Peach Kiggelaria africana or a species in the Passifloraceae. They take about nine days to hatch. The young larvae are gregarious (i.e. they keep together) but as development proceeds, they spread out.

© Michele Nel
Male on Ox–eye daisy, Dimorphoteca pluvialis, Kirstenbosch

© nan
Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden

© BluTuna
Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden, Johannesburg


Kirstenbosch © Michele Nel

[Toko]

Natal Acraea Acraea natalica (Natal-rooitjie)
Family: Nymphalidae. Subfamily: Heliconiinae. Tribe: Acraeini

© Sprocky
Phalaborwa

© Sprocky
Grietjie Private Reserve, Limpopo, South Africa

Description
Wingspan: males 55-63 mm; females 55-63 mm. Brightly coloured with red, orange and pink wings.
Both sexes are similar, but the male are generally brighter and more active than the female. Orange winged with dark scaling in the discal area of the forewing. The hind wing margins are wide. Upper abdomen surface is blackish with white spots.

Distribution
Very common thoughout most of Southern Africa. South Africa; from East London in the Eastern Cape all along the coast and inland of KwaZulu Natal, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, Gauteng, and the Northwest provinces. Throughout Mozambique and up to Zimbabwe, Malawi, Zambia, South Zaire (Shaba), Tanzania, and East Kenya.



Habitat
Common and widespread in open, lowland forest and savanna.

Biology
Flight period: Year-round, strong peak in late summer.
Foodplants: Adenia gummifera, Passiflora species and Tricicleras longepedunculata.

Dry season form albiventris, Grietjie Private Reserve, Balule © Sprocky


Links:
http://www.metamorphosis.org.za/article ... educed.pdf
https://books.google.de/books?id=Og9bDw ... ce&f=false

[Toko]

Wandering Donkey Acraea Acraea neobule neobule (Dwaalesel-rooitjie)
Family: Nymphalidae. Subfamily: Heliconiinae. Tribe: Acraeini

© nan

© nan

© nan
Namibia, Daan Viljoen, Jan 2018

Description
Wingspan: ♂ 48–55 mm ♀ 50–56 mm. Distinctive small patch of orange on the apex of the forewing. Black dots on the hindwing.
Similar species: Closely resembles Garden Acraea, but always paler red, more extensive hyaline wing areas, and smaller, more regular spotting.

Distribution
Ethiopia to South Africa and from Cameroon to Kenya.

Habitat
Slow fliers that occur in open grassland and bushveld areas. They are seldom seen in large numbers, preferring to fly singly.

Biology
Adults are on wing year round, but are more common from September to April.
Foodplants: Passiflora edulis, Passiflora incarnata, Adenia gummifera and Hybanthus species.

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

[BluTuna]

Window Acraea, Rooibok Acraea Acraea oncaea (Rooibokkie-rooitjie)
Family Nymphalidae. Subfamily Heliconiinae. Tribe Acraeini

Acraea oncaea female.jpg (64.3 KiB) Viewed 904 times

Acraea oncaea Nelspruit.jpg (151.81 KiB) Viewed 904 times

Female, Nelspruit © Richprins


© BluTuna

© BluTuna
Male, Shingwedzi, Kruger National Park


Female, Grietjie Private Reserve, Limpopo


Description
Wingspan: ♂ 40–48 mm ♀ 43–55 mm. Orange-buff, with prominent black interneural lines in forewing. Males are red-brown with forewing veins outlined in black with a small black tip on the forewing apex. A narrow black band is evident on the outer margin of the hindwing. Female has a broad black margin on the hindwing.
The upperside of the abdomen has a double row of spots or dots.

Distribution
From Natal to Mozambique, Zimbabwe and northern Namibia.

Habitat
Common in wooded savanna and lowland forest, fluttering above the ground before settling on low plants.

Biology
Flight period: Multibrooded year-round, peak September–May. There are multiple generations per year.
Foodplants: Tricicleras and Passifloraceae species, including Adenia species.

Links:
http://www.metamorphosis.org.za/article ... educed.pdf

Acraea oncaea.jpg (102.88 KiB) Viewed 1114 times

[Flutterby]

Dusky Acraea Telchinia esebria, Hyalites esebria (Boerbok-rooitjie)
Family: Nymphalidae. Subfamily: Heliconiinae. Tribe: Acraeini


Satara, Kruger National Park

Description
Wingspan: ♂ 45–55 mm, ♀ 53–60 mm.
Distinctive but very variable. There are a number of described morphs (with white, yellow or orange patches) including:
- forma ertli has subapical band broad and white in both sexes
- forma esebria has rich tawny orange basal patches, subapical pale patch ochre in male, white in female.
- forma protea: male (common in South Africa) has ochre basal patches, female has subapical patch white.
- forma monteironis: both sexes black with white patches
- forma jacksoni: Both sexes have subapical band tawny orange
Flight slow, easy to approach.

Distribution
Southern and eastern Africa. From Eastern Cape (East London) into Afromontane Forest of KwaZulu-Natal and Riverine and Lowland Forest of Mpumalanga and Limpopo Province.

Habitat
Common along forest paths and edges of clearings.

Biology
Flight period: Year-round, more common in the warmer months.
Foodplants: Laportea peduncularis, Pouzolzia species, Urera tenax.

Thanks to Toko for finding the info.

[Toko]

Dancing Telchinia Telchinia serena (Kleinoranje-rooitjie)
Family: Nymphalidae. Subfamily: Heliconiinae. Tribe: Acraeini

© Richprins
May 2021, Marloth Park

© Hawkeyes
Male, Southern Kruger National Park

© Kesheshe

© Kesheshe
Female, Kruger National Park

Description
Wingspan: ♂ 35–40 mm ♀ 36–44 mm. Females are very variable but males are fairly constant.
Roosts communally on long grass stems. Slow, low, fluttering flight.
The male is orange, with characteristic black spotted margins and black blotch at the end of the forewing cell on the upperside. The female may be similar to the male, to greater or lesser suffusion of black, white buff and brown to transparent.

Distribution
Throughout tropical Africa and Madagascar; very common along the east side of Southern Africa.

Habitat
Wooded savanna, riverine bush, near the edges of forest,

Taxonomic note
This genus gas been revised a few times and also the specific name (eponina to serena.)

Biology
Flight period: Year-round, more common in the warmer months.
Foodplants: Triumfetta species.

© BluTuna

© BluTuna

© BluTuna
Kruger National Park, Mooiplaas Picnic Spot


Links:
http://www.metamorphosis.org.za/article ... educed.pdf

[BluTuna]

African Leopard, Common Leopard Phalanta phalantha aethiopica Populierluiperd
Family: Nymphalidae. Subfamily: Heliconiinae. Tribe: Vagrantini

© BluTuna

Description
Wingspan: ♂ 40–45 mm, ♀ 43–48 mm. It has an orange tawny colour, often paler in the female, with black marginal, submarginal and other markings, especially in the cell of the forewing. The underside of the butterfly is more glossy than the upper and both the male and female are similar looking. A more prominent purple gloss on the underside is found in the dry season form of this butterfly.

Distribution
The butterfly is found in Sub-saharan Africa. Throughout Southern Africa, except the drier areas such as the Karoo and the Western Cape.
Distribution Kruger National Park: Mangagi, Skukuza, Satara, Pumbe, Bangari, Ngumula, Shipampenane hills, Shipudza, Punda Maria.

Habitat
This is primarily a butterfly of Acacia thorn scrub and savannah / woodland habitats, but can also be found in clearings within rainforest. The migratory nature of the butterfly also takes it to coastal grasslands, city parks, gardens and many other habitats, where its White Poplar Populus alba food plant is found. It can be found at altitudes from sea level to at least 1500 m.

Biology
Flight period: In cooler areas, Oct–Apr; in warmer areas, year-round, peak late summer and autumn.
A restless insect, constantly moving its wings when perched on a flower or leaf.

© Tina
Zululand, Mtuzini

© Flutterby

[Toko]

Bushveld Emperor, Bushveld Charaxes Charaxes achaemenes achaemenes (Bosveld-dubbelstert)
Family: Nymphalidae. Subfamily: Charaxinae. Tribe: Charaxini

© Dewi
Male, Borakalalo Game Reserve, North West Province, South Africa

Description
The wingspan is 55–60 mm in males and 60–70 mm in females. Body stout. light brown. Sexes differ in upper side coloration. Wings light brown near body, bisected by band of white patches (yellow in female) and dark brown along outer margins. Hindwing edged with silver-grey patches.
Female is a good mimic of the more powerful Foxy Charaxes as regards the upperside.

Taxonomy
There are three subspecies:
C. a. achaemenes (eastern Kenya, Tanzania, south-eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, south-eastern Angola, Malawi, Zambia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland)
C. a. atlantica (Senegal, Gambia, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo)
C. a. monticola (northern Nigeria, northern Cameroon, Central African Republic, Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo: Ituri, western Ethiopia, Sudan, Kenya: west of the Rift Valley)

Distribution
Throughout Africa. In South Africa: Limpopo Province, Mpumalanga, North West Province, Gauteng, northern KwaZulu-Natal.

Habitat
Common and widespread in bushveld and wooded savanna. Males frequent koppies and ridges at midday.

Biology
Flight period is year-round, peak Feb–May.
Foodplants: Pterocarpus rotundifolius, Pterocarpus angolensis, Xanthocercis zambesiana, Dalbergia boehmii, Piliostigma thonningii, Pterocarpus erinaceus, Dalbergia nitidula, Brachystegia spiciformis.

Links: AT Butterflies - FILE H – CHARAXINAE (NYMPHALIDAE) (DOC)
http://www.metamorphosis.org.za/article ... heimer.pdf

[Toko]

Natal White-barred Charaxes, White-barred Emperor Charaxes brutus natalensis (Witstreep-dubbelstert)
Family: Nymphalidae. Subfamily: Charaxinae. Tribe: Charaxini

© Sonel

© Sonel

© Sonel

© Sonel
Hartebeespoort Dam, North West Province, South Africa

Description
Wingspan: ♂ 60–75 mm ♀ 75–90 mm
Upperside unmistakable black and white. Underside similar to Foxy Emperor; ground colour dark tawny orange to red-ochre basally with white median band; basal patterns are dark grey with white outlines.
Pugnacious and aggressive, chasing flying intruders entering its domain.

Taxonomy
There are five subspecies:
C. b. brutus (Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, western Nigeria)
C. b. alcyone (Kenya: east of Rift Valley), northern and eastern Tanzania)
C. b. angustus (Eastern Nigeria, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Gabon, Congo, Northern Angola, Zaire, West Uganda)
C. b. natalensis (South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Mozambique, Malawi, Tanzania)
C. b. roberti (Pemba Island)

Distribution
South Africa (coastal and north-eastern parts), Zimbabwe, Botswana, Mozambique, Malawi, Swaziland, Tanzania.

Habitat
Common woodland butterfly in most coastal and inland forests and forest edges.
Visits red flowers such as those of Tecomaria and Spathodea species. Often seen at the fermenting sap of ‘sucking-holes’ in tree trunks.

Biology
Flight period: Year-round, more common late summer to autumn.
Foodplants: Grewia species, Entandrophagm, Trichilia, Melia azedarach, Trichilia emetica, and Ekebergia




Links:
http://www.metamorphosis.org.za/article ... heimer.pdf

Charaxes brutus natalensis.jpg (101.1 KiB) Viewed 1130 times

Gaborone, Botswana © GlosterBirder

[Toko]

Foxy Emperor, Foxy Charaxes, Koppie Charaxes Charaxes jasius saturnus (Koppie-dubbelstert)
Family: Nymphalidae. Subfamily: Charaxinae. Tribe: Charaxini


© ExFmem
Hans Merensky Nature Reserve, Limpopo

© BluTuna
Kruger National Park

© nan
Etosha National Park, Namibia


Kruger National Park, Mopani camp © mattie010


Description
The most common species of this genus. Wingspan: ♂ 65–75 mm ♀ 75–90 mm. This species derives its common name, Foxy Charaxes, from the reddish colour at the base of both wings. Sexes similar, but females have longer tails than males.
The uppersides of the wings are dark brown with orange margins. Basal area of wings reddish brown, followed by paler band and broad brownish black border with row of orange dots on outer edge.
The hind wings bring two short tails, characteristic of most species of the genus. Close to these tails there are a few blue markings. The underside of the wings is ochre-red with numerous darker bands edged with white or gray. The orange marginal band is also present on the undersides of the wings and it is preceded by a white transversal band.

Taxonomy
There are six subspecies: C. j. saturnus is found in sub-saharan Africa.

Distribution
Mediterranean region and Africa. Charaxes jasius saturnus occurs in Kenya (east, north-east), Tanzania, Malawi, Democratic Republic of Congo (central and south), Angola, Zambia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia (north-east), South Africa, Eswatini. In South Africa from Eastern Cape (East London) to KwaZulu-Natal thorn belt, northern and western Free State, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, widespread throughout the Kruger National Park, North West Province and Northern Cape.

Habitat
Common, widespread in savanna areas. Forest edges, hilltops, flatlands, hillsides, gardens and parks.
Males are regular visitors to the tops of ridges and koppies at midday and make vigorous swoops on intruders into their ‘playground’, each time returning to their Aloe stalk or some suitable branch.

Biology
Flight period is year-round. More common late summer to autumn.


Links:
http://www.metamorphosis.org.za/article ... heimer.pdf