Yellow Pansy

25 Replies

Junonia hierta

The Yellow Pansy is a commonly seen butterfly occurring over most of South Africa. They are very active, flying low and fast and often returning to more or less the same spot – males may even be territorial. They occur in a wide range of open habitats and are usually seen singly.

The Yellow Pansy’s larvae feeds on a wide variety of herbs. Adults are on the wing throughout the year and measure 4-5cm from wingtip to wingtip. The IUCN lists the species as being of least concern. They occur widely over Africa, Arabia and the Indian subcontinent.

Yellow Pansy
Yellow Pansy butterfly
Yellow Pansy butterfly
Yellow Pansy butterfly
Yellow Pansy butterfly
Yellow Pansy
Yellow Pansy
Yellow Pansy
Yellow Pansy
Yellow Pansy butterfly
Yellow Pansy butterfly
Yellow Pansy
Yellow Pansy
Yellow Pansy
Yellow Pansy
Yellow Pansy butterfly
Yellow Pansy butterfly on dry rhino dung
Yellow Pansy butterflies (photo by Joubert)
Yellow Pansy butterfly
Yellow Pansy butterfly
Yellow Pansy butterfly
Yellow Pansy

25 thoughts on “Yellow Pansy”

  1. aj vosse

    You know Dries… I can’t recall ever seeing most of the butterflies you have shown lately!
    Where was I? I recall the uproar about the Brenton Blue… bur I can’t remember chasing butterflies then, even though my love for nature has always been there!
    Thanks again for all the trouble you are going to to sate my thirst!!
    One day is one day… 🍻😁🦋

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    1. de Wets Wild Post author

      It really is as much a pleasure for me as it is for you, AJ. Such an interesting world! Perhaps the butterfly-population of the Eastern Cape is a bit different to here in the North of SA, so what’s commonly seen here may be rare there, and vice versa.

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  2. Playamart - Zeebra Designs

    But of course it was necessary to see what a yellow pansy looks like – quite lovely! I’ve been photographing a lot of butterflies this year – they are very abundant — yet that is a bit alarming because the bird species census is very low… if the birds were here they’d be eating caterpillars – right?
    I’ll keep watching and see if this is just a cycle, or if it’s something new….

    Will catch up on your other posts soon – just not sure when… logging off til next week!

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. de Wets Wild Post author

      Always great to have you over for a visit, Lisa!

      Great to hear that butterflies are doing well in your part of the world – did you notice the same trend with other kinds of insects as well?

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      1. Playamart - Zeebra Designs

        The bees, unfortunately, are basically missing in action. the neighbor’s two hives are now ‘one’ – the other had one of those mystery disappearances of the bees two months ago….
        |our planet is so fragile, it takes little to offset the balance, as you well know!

        I’m noticing the cecroprias are pretty defoliated this year – I don’t remember seeing them that way in other years, but it might be normal.. or it might be that there are more caterpillars than there are birds to eat them! today the barbets were up there feasting in the cecropria crowns!

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      2. de Wets Wild Post author

        Fragile indeed, Lisa, and I think when it all comes crashing down it won’t be in slow-motion. It is going to be quick and catastrophic. When will our eyes open to the subtle signs around us?

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