Africa Wild

Brown Pansy, Brown Commodore Junonia natalica natalica (Natal-gesiggie)
Family: Nymphalidae. Subfamily: Nymphalinae. Tribe: Junoniini.

© Richprins

© Richprins
Nelspruit, July 2020

© BluTuna
Kruger National Park, Mopani camp, Eco Trail, May 2014

Description
Wingspan: ♂ 45–50 mm ♀ 48–55 mm. Three white postdiscal spots that are present on the forewing upperside.
WSF has underside eye spots well developed. Underside eye spots reduced in DSF.

Distribution
Afrotropic ecozone. Coastal KwaZulu-Natal from Port Edwards to Kosi Bay, Swaziland, Mpumalanga and Limpopo lowveld.

Habitat
Forest edges, flatlands, coast, parks and gardens. In the Kruger National Park, it prefers the shadows of riparian forest and woodland found along waterways.

Biology
Flight period: Year-round, peaks October and November, and February to May.
Foodplants: Asystasia gangetica and Phaulopsis imbricata.

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

Blue Pansy, Black Pansy Junonia oenone oenone (Blou-gesiggie)
Family: Nymphalidae. Subfamily: Nymphalinae. Tribe: Junoniini.

© Pumbaa
Male, Kruger National Park

© Pumbaa
Female, Kruger National Park

© GlosterBirder
Tydon Safari Camp, Sabi Sands, South Africa

© leachy
Male & Female, Kruger National Park

Description
Wingspan: ♂ 40–50 mm ♀ 48–52 mm. Male and female similar.
It is overall black in colour, with a large iridescent blue spot in the middle of the front half of each hindwing. There is a broken white band across each forewing and a treble white band along the outer edge of each hindwing, and two blue-centred orange-red spots on each wing.
The underside of the wings of the blue pansy are cryptically coloured in shades of brown and are camouflaged into the background.

Distribution
Found all over Africa. In South Africa in a widespread species of grassland and bushveld. Eastern Cape to KwaZulu-Natal, Swaziland, Mpumalanga, Limpopo and North West Provinces, Gauteng, Free State and Northern Cape.

Habitat
Common, but not as widespread as the Yellow Pansy. Herbaceous borders always attract this butterfly. Mainly found in savannah woodland habitats, but this widespread species is also found in rainforests, grasslands, urban environments and even irrigated vegetation in subdesert habitats.

Biology
Flight period: Year-round in warmer areas, peaks Oct and Nov, and Feb to May.
Males are extremely territorial and are often seen chasing other butterflies.
Both sexes are extremely fond of nectaring at the flowers of herbaceous plants. Males perch on the ground or among tall grasses, to await passing females, which lead them to a convenient spot nearby where copulation takes place.
Foodplants: Mackaya bella, Justicia natalensis, and Asystasia (Asystasia gangetica), Isoglossa and Ruella species.

© Super Mongoose
Vaalkop Dam Nature Reserve, North West Province


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

Eyed Pansy, Ox-eyed Pansy Junonia orithya madagascariensis (Padwagtertjie)
Family: Nymphalidae. Subfamily: Nymphalinae. Tribe: Junoniini.

© Flutterby

The nominate race is extralimital, occurring in the Oriental Region. It also occurs in the Australian Region.

Description
Wingspan: ♂ 35–42 mm ♀ 40–48 mm. The female is larger than the male and her blue markings are slightly less intense.

Distribution
Sub-saharan Africa, in southern Africa: Botswana, Namibia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Swaziland and South Africa from Eastern Cape to KwaZulu Natal, Swaziland, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, Gauteng, Freestate, Northern Cape and North West Provinces.

Habitat
Widespread but uncommon. Mostly inland savanna and grassland.

Biology
Flies throughout the year in warmer areas, peaks Aug–Nov, and Feb–May.
It flies close to the ground, often settling on bare ground with the wings spread horizontally. Males establish territories on flat ground, defending them from perches on patches of bare earth.
Foodplants: Hygrophila species.

© BluTuna
Marievale Bird Sanctuary, Gauteng

[/url] © Moggiedog

Painted Lady Vanessa cardui
Family: Nymphalidae. Subfamily: Nymphalinae. Tribe: Nymphalini

© BluTuna

Description
Wingspan: ♂ 40–45 mm ♀ 45–50 mm.
Wings orange with black patches and spots, grey near body. Apex of forewing spotted white. It has a pointed forewing which bears a prominent white bar. The hindwing has a submarginal row of 5 tiny black dots. The upperside of the freshly emerged butterfly is orange with rose-like overtones. The underside is mottled brown and gray with a submarginal row of eye spots on the hindwing. Body dirty brown.
Male and female similar.

Distribution
The Painted Lady is found everywhere in the world except South America, the Arctic, and Australia. Widespread in South Africa and often the only active butterfly in South Africa in cold areas in winter. Strongly migratory.

Biology
Flight period: Year-round; two main peaks, Aug–Oct, and Mar–Jul.
Flys fast and low along ground, often resting on sunny patch.
They have a large menu of larval food-plants to choose from including; Gazanias, Nettles, Thistles and Bread-and-Butter plant (Malva parviflora).

Links: ADW

© BluTuna
Marakele National Park

Eastern Sorrel Copper Lycaena clarki Oostelike-kleinkopervlerkie
Family: Lycaenidae. Subfamily: Lycaeninae. Tribe: Lycaenini

© Tina
Golden Gate Highlands National Park

Description
Wingspan: ♂ 21–27 mm ♀ 22-30 mm.
Truly copper in colour. It has pale rings around dark spots on the underside.
The flight is weak.

Distribution
South Africa (Mpumalanga, North West Province, Gauteng, Free State Province, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape Province, Western Cape Province), Lesotho.

Habitat
Usually found in vleis and along watercourses where its food plant Rumex grows.

Biology
Flight period: Year-round in warmer areas, peak in summer.

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

Burnished Opal Chrysoritis chrysaor
Family: Lycaenidae. Subfamily: Theclinae. Tribe: Aphnaeini

© Tina
West Coast National Park

Description
The wingspan is 22–27 mm for males and 23–30 mm for females.
Upper side glossy yellowish-orange to reddish-orange with narrow dark margins. Extent of black spotting on upper side varies from colony to colony. Under side of hindwing yellow to reddish-brown and occasionally with a greenish tinge, sometimes spots showing through obscurely from upper side. Male aedoeagus lacks cornuti. Forewing with twelve veins.

Distribution
South Africa (Mpumalanga, Free State Province, Eastern Cape Province, Western Cape Province, Northern Cape Province), Lesotho.

Habitat
A variety of habitats, including savanna, fynbos, karoo and grassland at altitudes from sea 10 level to 2 000 metres.

Biology
Flight period: All year at low altitudes; summer months at higher altitudes.
Larval foodplants: The larvae feed on Tylecodon paniculatus, Cotyledon orbiculata, Zygophyllum sessilifolium, Zygophyllum retrofractum, Acacia karroo and Rhus species.

Links: Genus Chrysoritis - Metamorphosis

Silvery Silverline Cigaritis phanes (Silwerband-streepvlerkie)
Family: Lycaenidae. Subfamily: Aphnaeinae


Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Mata Mata

Description
Phanes is a Greek word for glittery or showy.
The wingspan is 24–27 mm for males and 26–30 mm for females.
The butterflies are easily recognized by the shiny white and silvery undersides crossed by orange bands, and the two hindwing tails, of which the one at vein 1b is longer. It is a decidedly variable species, particularly on the underside – in some specimens the bands are fawn coloured and broader than usual.

Distribution
It is found in south-west Africa, including Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa. In South Africa it is found from north-western KwaZulu-Natal to the northern part of the Orange Free State, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, the Limpopo Province, the North West Province and the North Cape.

Habitat
Silvery Bar can be observed in savannah habitats. Low flowers are a preferred resting site.

Biology
Adults are on the wing year round with peaks from September to November and from March to June.
Larval food: Larvae feed on spp of blackthorn, acacia and sour plum. They are associated with the ant species Crematogaster castanea.




Many lycaenids have hair-like hind wing tails with eyespots at the base. When the insect is sitting, these look like the head and antennae, a deceit the insect embellishes by moving the tails slowly up and down.

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

Black-striped Hairtail Anthene amarah amarah (Swartstreep-kortstertjie)
Family: Lycaenidae. Subfamily: Polyommatinae. Tribe: Lycaenesthini

© BluTuna
Kruger National Park, Shingwedzi

Description
Wingspan: ♂ 21-26 mm; ♀ 23-28 mm.
Unique black streak at the forewing base on the underside of both sexes. Upperside with black-orange spots on the hind wings. Males are darker olive-brown on the upper side than females, with a distinctive brassy sheen.

Distribution
Tropical Africa and Arabia (up to Aqaba). Widespread and common throughout South Africa excluding the western parts and the highest mountains.

Habitat
Acacia woodland throughout most of tropical Africa and South Africa. Flatlands and hillsides. Very fond of Acacia flowers.

Biology
Foodplants: Larvae feed on Acacia.
Flight period: Year-round, peak in summer.

Common Geranium Bronze Cacyreus marshalli (Malvabloutjie)
Family: Lycaenidae. Subfamily: Polyommatinae. Tribe: Polyommatini.

© BluTuna

Description
Small (Wingspan: ♂ 15–23 mm ♀ 18–27 mm), uniformly brown with brown-and-white chequered fringe of hairs along outer margin of wings. Hind wings with white-bordered black eyespot near base. The underside is grey-brown with dark bands.
Range overlaps with the Water Bronze, but the upperside lacks the violet or violet-blue sheen of the Water Bronze.

Distribution
Widespread owing to adaptation to cultivated pelargoniums. Probably originally only in southwestern parts of South Africa, but has spread to the rest of the country and even to Europe.

Biology
The larvae of which feed on buds and other parts of geraniums and polygoniums.
Flight period: Year-round in warmer areas, usually Aug–May.

Black Heart Uranothauma nubifer nubifer (Swart-hartbloutjie)
Family: Lycaenidae. Subfamily: Polyommatinae. Tribe: Polyommatini

© steamtrainfan

© steamtrainfan
Pretoria National Botanical Garden

Description
Wingspan: ♂ 22–26 mm ♀ 24–28 mm; sexes dissimilar.
Male upperside very dark brown (almost black when butterfly is flying) with faint purplish lustre; large, black, heart- shaped marking in centre of the forewing on the upper side; delicate tail on hindwing. Underside brown with complex pattern of off-white markings, darker brown basal, discal and submarginal bands outlined with white irroration, cryptic when sitting on the ground.
Female coppery-brown with blackish markings and spots on forewing (black scent patch is absent). Underside as in male.

Distribution
It is found from Ethiopia to South Africa. Widespread but rather localised: KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, Free State, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Limpopo and North West provinces, and arid savanna in the Northern Cape.

Habitat
Grassland and thorny savanna. Flatland and hillsides. Fond of flowers and wet mud.

Biology
Larvae feed on Vachellia karroo and other Acacia species.
Flight period: Year-round, peak Nov–Feb.