Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Chilades trochylus
This is a rather elderly and faded individual. The Grass Jewel Blue, it is one of our smallest butterflies. This record was from Cumberland Nature Reserve and is my only one. It is probably overlooked rather than being uncommon.
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
Colotis antevippe
This is our Red Tip. The black moustache is characteristic but not definitive to of the sp.
The top two are of the same male. The black underside venation is that of f. gavisa (the subsp. is also gavisa.)
Below are different forms of the female. The tips seem to be quite variable.
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Rhodogastria amasis
The Tri-coloured Tiger: remarkably coloured. The foodplants are Chrysanthemoides (Tick-berry), and Tecomaria (Cape Honeysuckle.)
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Colotis annae
More of the Scarlet Tip. These two magnificent individuals, male and female, were at a butterfly party in Bisley Nature Reserve. They are in exuberant summer form.
See also the previous post on this butterfly.
Monday, October 13, 2014
Acraea oncaea
Acraea oncaea or the Window Acraea. Second from the top is a male, then next a female with the same colour as the male but told apart by the white apical patches. Next is the underside of this butterfly.
At bottom is the brown form of the female. I also think there is sphragis (a mating plug) on the posterior of her abdomen.
Friday, September 26, 2014
Euchrysops osiris
This is the Osiris Smoky Blue.
We found it at Cumberland, going down the Lolombazo gorge. It is my only record, we are at the southernmost limit of its distribution.
The upper-side is that of a male.
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Anthene definita
The Common Hairtail, there are three "hairtails" extending from the posterior end of the hind-wing.
The butterfly here is a female, the male is all metallic blue on the upperside.
It is not all that common here, this one was found at Bisley Nature Reserve.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)

