Africa Wild Insect Book: Butterflies (Lepidoptera)

[BluTuna]

Two-pip Policeman Coeliades pisistratus (Dubbelkol-konstabel)
Family: Hesperidae. Subfamily: Coeliadinae

© BluTuna
Magaliesberg, Gauteng

Description
Wingspan: ♂ 55–65 mm. ♀ 63–70 mm.
Wings greyish brown on the upperside, hind wing with a large yellow-brown discal area and anal angle with orange cilia. Underside of hind wings is brown with a white hindwing band with a row of three or four black spots. The tail of the hind wings has an orange fringe.
Similar species: There are four other species of Coeliades in the region. Coeliades forestan lacks black spots. Coeliades anchises has a single black spot on the white band.

Distribution
Mozambique, Swaziland, Lesotho, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe; eastern half of South Africa (Limpopo Province, Mpumalanga, North West Province, Gauteng, Free State Province, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape Province).

Habitat
Savanna and the edges of forest and coastal bush. Often observed feeding at flowers and occasionally sucking at mud. Females are usually observed in the vicinity of their food plants.

Biology
Flight period: Continuous broods, all year in warmer areas; peak September–April.
Foodplants: A wide range of plants, including Indigofera, Acridocarpus and Combretum species, but prefers the Lesser Moth-fruit Creeper Sphedamnocarpus pruriens.

Links: Subfamily Coeliadinae - Afrotropical Butterflies and Skippers

[BluTuna]

Brown Dodger Afrogegenes letterstedti (formerly: Common Hottentot Skipper, Gegenes niso niso)
Family: Hesperidae. Subfamily: Hesperiinae

© BluTuna
Female

© BluTuna

© BluTuna
Garden in Johannesburg


Skippers of the genus Afrogegenes are small Skippers with characteristically short antennae distinguishing them from other small brown Skippers. They are brown to yellow-ochre in colour. Females have paler spots on the upperside.

Description
Wingspan: ♂ 29–33 mm. ♀ 29–35 mm. At rest, the yellow-ochre underside of both sexes is distinctive.
Males are olive green above, grey brown at margins, dusted with yellow, more so towards wing bases.
Females are brown aborve, with discal series of cream spots on boths wings.

Links:
http://metamorphosis.org.za/articlesPDF ... outsis.pdf

Distribution
Widespread in Africa.

Subspecies
There are two subspecies of which only the nominate occurs in Southern Africa.
Gegenes niso niso - Eastern Common Hottentot Skipper (southern Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, Swaziland, Lesotho, South Africa: Limpopo Province, Mpumalanga, North West Province, Gauteng, Free State Province, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape Province, Western Cape Province)
Gegenes niso brevicornis – Plain Hottentot (west, central and east Africa, including Senegal, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Zambia)

Habitat
Found in a wide range of habitats, including savanna, grassland and open patches in forests.
Fond of flowers and muddy places. Males establish their territories near the larval food plants (grasses).

Biology
Adults are on wing year round in warmer areas (with a peak from October to March) and from October to March in cooler areas.
The larvae feed on Ehrharta species (including Ehrharta erecta), Pennisetum clandestinum, Zea and Cynodon species.

[Klipspringer]

Natal Brown Coenyropsis natalii
Family: Nymphalidae. Subfamily: Satyrinae. Tribe: Satyrini.

Grietjie Private Reserve.jpg (298.89 KiB) Viewed 2260 times

Female © Sprocky


Description
Wingspan: ♂ 34–38 mm ♀ 36–38 mm.
A small Brown with bright orange sorewing upper side patches. Upper side brown with single orange-ringed eye-spot in apex of forewing and two smaller eye-spots on hindwing.
The sexes look alike, yet the female is more vivid in colour.

Distribution
Namibia, Botswana, Southwestern Zimbabwe and northern South Africa (Nominate from N Cape (Kuruman Hills), and north through NW Province and Gauteng (northern foothills of Magaliesberg near Rustenburg and Pienaarsrivier), north of Soutpansberg (Limpopo Province) and south to hills around Polokwane).
Despite its common name this species is not known to occur in KwaZulu-Natal.

Habitat
This butterfly favours savanna and grassland.


Biology
Flight period: From Oct.-May.
Larval foodplants: Probably Poaceae grasses

Links: https://books.google.de/books?id=Og9bDw ... ii&f=false

[Klipspringer]

Clouded Flat, Clouded Forester, Clouded Skipper Tagiades flesus
Family: Hesperidae. Subfamily: Pyrginae. Tribe: Tagiadini

Victoria Falls.jpg (138.7 KiB) Viewed 2245 times

Female © Gloster Birder

© Richprins
Nelspruit

© Richprins
Nelspruit

© Richprins
Nelspruit

Description
Wingspan: ♂ 35–47 mm. ♀ 43–49 mm.
A demure and pretty butterfly with subdued colouring. The upper sides of the wings are a dark, dusty brown with a few indistinct dark spots and clear whitish spots on the forewings. The undersides are distinctive, white with a semicircle of irregular black spots.


Distribution
Widespread in Sub-Saharan Africa, including Senegal, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Congo, Central African Republic, Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana (north), South Africa (Limpopo Province, Mpumalanga, North West Province, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape Province), Eswatini.


Habitat
Found in primary and degraded forests, parks, gardens and along roadsides, usually in damp and semi-shaded situations, although it is also found in savannah habitats, usually in the vicinity of rivers or streams.


Biology
Flight period: All year. Adults are on wing year round; in warmer areas with peaks in late summer and autumn. The males select territories and fly rapidly, with the white underside of the wings 'flashing'. The females fly randomly throughout the forest.
Foodplants: Dioscorea and Grewia.

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

[Klipspringer]

African Mocker Swallowtail Papilio dardanus cenea
Family: Papilionidae. Subfamily: Papilioninae. Tribe: Papilionini.

Papilio dardanus.jpg (83.79 KiB) Viewed 2238 times

Male, Thonga Beach, KZN, South Africa © GlosterBirder

Description
Wingspan: ♂ 80–90 mm ♀ 75–85 mm.
The male is unique in appearance, but the female occurs in several forms, most of which are untailed and mimic the colours and patterns of other butterfly species. It is an iconic example of a polymorphic Batesian mimic. It displays female-limited polymorphic mimicry of multiple model species:
Friar - hippocoonides and Natalica
African Monarch - Trophonius and aikeni
Chief - Cephonius
Layman - Cenea


Distribution
Mozambique (south), Zimbabwe (east), South Africa (Limpopo Province, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape Province, Western Cape Province – south-east), Eswatini


Habitat
Afrotemperate and coastal forest. The Mocker Swallowtail is common and wide-spread, found along the coast and adjacent lowland forests from Knysna to riverine and montane forests in Mpumalanga and Limpopo.


Biology
Foodplants: Various, including Vepris species, Clausena anisata, Teclea natalensis and Citrus species
It is found year-round in the northern parts, but is absent in the south in winter.

Links:
http://metamorphosis.org.za/articlesPDF ... nnaeus.pdf
https://books.google.de/books?id=mQ9bDw ... ca&f=false

Papilio dardanus cenea Male.jpg (45.61 KiB) Viewed 2238 times

.

[Klipspringer]

Broad-bordered Acraea Acraea anemosa
Family: Nymphalidae. Subfamily: Heliconiinae. Tribe: Acraeini

Acraea anemosa, Broad-bordered acraea, Sabi Sands Tydon safari Camp.jpg (51.75 KiB) Viewed 2235 times

Male © GlosterBirder


Description
Wingspan: males 50-55 mm; females 57-64 mm.
Both sexes with very distinctive broad hindwing black marginal band. No spots, except in forewing cell.

Distribution
Uganda, Somalia (south), Kenya (coast), Tanzania, Democratic Republic of Congo (Lualaba), Malawi, Zambia, Angola, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia (Caprivi), South Africa (Limpopo Province, Mpumalanga, North West Province, Gauteng, Free State Province, KwaZulu-Natal - north), Eswatini.

Habitat
Forest and savannah (flatlands, hillsides).

Biology
Flight period: Continually brooded from Sept–Dec, peaks Oct and Feb. Stragglers may be seen as late as Apr.
Foodplants: Adenia venenata

Links:
https://www.metamorphosis.org.za/articl ... ricius.pdf
https://books.google.de/books?id=mQ9bDw ... sa&f=false
https://books.google.de/books?id=Og9bDw ... ks&f=false

[Klipspringer]

Ragged Skipper Caprona pillaana
Family: Hesperidae. Subfamily: Pyrginae. Tribe: Tagiadini

Caprona pillaana, Ragged skipper, Sabi Sands.jpg (81.75 KiB) Viewed 2232 times

Tydon Safari Camp, Sabi Sands, South Africa © GlosterBirder


Description
Wingspan: ♂ 30–37 mm. ♀ 35–44 mm.
Medium-sized species with a grey ground colour with some vitreous markings in forewing.

Distribution
South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana, from Mozambique to eastern Africa, Ethiopia and south-western Arabia.


Habitat
Savanna woodland.

Biology
Flight period: Adults are on wing year round, with peaks from September to November and from March to May in southern Africa.
Foodplants: Grewia, Dombeya and Sterculia species.

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

[Klipspringer]

Ferax Grizzled Skipper, Common Sandman Spialia ferax, formerly Spialia diomus ferax
Family: Hesperidae. Subfamily: Pyrginae. Tribe: Carcharodini.

Spialia domus, KTP.jpg (103.39 KiB) Viewed 2228 times

Female, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park © ExFmem


Description
Wingspan: ♂ 27–31 mm. ♀ 29–33 mm.
Three white spots in forewing cell (not two), hind wing underside light bands broad and distinctly curved outwards towards margin.

Distribution
Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, throughout South Africa (Limpopo Province, Mpumalanga, North West Province, Gauteng, Free State Province, KwaZuluNatal, Eastern Cape Province, Western Cape Province, Northern Cape Province), Eswatini, Lesotho.

Habitat
Inhabits woodland, savanna and open montane habitats, almost anywhere in South Africa. Prefers grass and bushveld areas and is scarcer in the Karoo. It is readily attracted to fl owers. Males show hilltopping behaviour.


Biology
Flight period: Year-round in warmer areas, more common in warmer months. In cool areas Aug–Apr, usually one of the first spring butterflies.
Foodplants: Hibiscus, Sida, Pavonia, Waltheria and Hermannia species.

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

[Klipspringer]

Southern Veined Arab, Veined Tip, Veined Orange Colotis vesta argillaceus
Family: Pieridae. Subfamily: Pierinae. Tribe: Pierini

Colotis vesta.jpg (161.56 KiB) Viewed 2213 times

Grietjie Private Reserve, Balule © Sprocky

© Richprins
Dry season form, Marloth Park, Mpumalanga, July 2020

Description
Wingspan: ♂ 32–40 mm ♀ 34–45 mm
Yellow uppersides with black markings, and a whitish patch at the base of the wings.

Distribution
the Afrotropic ecozone: Mozambique (south), Zimbabwe (south), Botswana (east), South Africa (Limpopo Province, Mpumalanga, North West Province, KwaZulu-Natal – north), Eswatini.

Habitat
Mesic to arid savanna.

Biology
Flight period: The adults fly year-round, peaking in late summer andautumn.
Foodplant: Maerua angolensis

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

[Klipspringer]

Pearl Emperor, Pearl Charaxes Charaxes varanes varanes
Family: Nymphalidae. Subfamily: Charaxinae. Tribe: Charaxini

© Sprocky
Grietjie Private Reserve, Limpopo

© Pumbaa
Berg en Dal camp, Kruger National Park, South Africa

© Dindingwe
Skukuza camp, Kruger National Park

Charaxes varanes.jpg (153.82 KiB) Viewed 1751 times

Grietjie Private Reserve, Limpopo (Feb 2021) © Sprocky


Description
The wingspan is 65–70 mm in males and 70–90 mm in females. Sexes similar.
Body light grey. Wings white near body, remainder orange with brown patches and flecks. Orange and pearly white wings conspicuous. One pointed tail on each hind wing. Underside variable, cryptic, affording excellent camouflage. Flight slower than most other Charaxes.

Distribution
Mozambique (south), South Africa (Limpopo Province, Mpumalanga, North West Province, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape Province, Western Cape Province – south-east), eSwatini.

Habitat
Savanna, coastal, lowland and escarpment forest.

Biology
Flight period: Year-round in warmer areas, a weak peak Sept–Nov, stronger peak Jan–Jun.
Foodplants: Allophylus species and Cardiospermum halicacabum.


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

Charaxes varanes varanes.jpg (39.44 KiB) Viewed 1751 times