Dixeia pigea
The Ant-heap White is one of those confusing kinds of butterflies where the males and females look quite different, and even differ from season to season in their appearance – in general the males are more white and the females more yellow.
They fly fairly slowly and quite fluttery, and can be seen throughout the year though they may reach extraordinary numbers in late summer and early autumn when they make for quite a spectacle as they chase each other around flowering plants in the full sun.
The larvae feed on the leaves of caperbushes, and the strong association between plants of the genus Maerua and termite-mounds is where this butterfly gets their common name. The eggs are laid in groups on the underside of the leaves of these fodder plants. Fully grown they have a wingspan of about 5cm.
Ant-heap Whites inhabit moist woodland, riverine thickets and forests and are found from the coastal regions of the Eastern Cape, throughout Kwazulu-Natal and into the Lowveld and Escarpment of Mpumalanga and Limpopo.
DeWetsWild 
They are lovely me. Makes me realize I need to be more observant when watching butterflies!
LikeLiked by 1 person
A whole new facet of nature enjoyment opened up for me when I got my first butterfly guidebook, Carol!
LikeLiked by 1 person
So fyntjies! Dis ongelooflik hoe hulle verskil!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Mens kan maklik dink dit is twee verskillende soorte – dankie tog vir n goeie boek of twee in die rugsak!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Die beste om saam te dra!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wit en geel … sjoe, die geslagte verskil nogal heelwat in kleur ne? Dankie, ek geniet jou skoenlapper foto’s baie!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Baie gaaf van jou, Corna. Baie dankie.
LikeLiked by 1 person
How lovely, but as Janet (sustainabilitea) says, shame about the ant-hill moniker, though of course useful if you want to track them down 🙂
LikeLike
They ought to choose their hangouts more carefully! 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
So nice. Die stukkies swart op die punte vd vlerke lyk van ver of die vlerk gekartel is. Dainty little thing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Jy moet sien hoe dit lyk wanneer dosyne van hulle saam swerm!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pretty butterflies – there are so few around our garden at the moment that your butterfly posts are cheering.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m afraid it is the same story here, Anne. Wintery weather and a garden denuded of butterflies. I’m hoping for more of a bounty when we visit Mapungubwe and Marakele next week.
LikeLike
Ah, another interesting post in the making …
LikeLike
We can’t wait to leave Pretoria again!
LikeLike
Such delicate and lovely little creatures to have such an odd and not particularly attractive name. 🙂
LikeLike
A case of being known by the company you keep! 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
More fantastic photographs and stunning butterflies. I really enjoy reading your butterfly posts, a common interest.
LikeLiked by 1 person
We’re grateful to know you enjoy these too!
LikeLiked by 1 person