Cacyreus marshalli
The Geranium Bronze butterfly is a tiny (wingspan ≈2cm) but very well known inhabitant of most South African gardens, occurring in a wide range of natural and man-made habitats all over the country except in the driest parts of the Karoo and Kalahari. Their major larval food plants are from the geranium and pelargonium families, many of which are popular garden plants too – the species was inadvertently introduced to Europe and the UK with garden plants exported from here and are now considered a pest in those parts. Adults are weak fliers, seldom going higher than a meter above the ground, settling regularly for extended periods and often remaining in the same general area for days on end. Geranium Bronze butterflies are on the wing throughout the year, but they are most abundant in summer.
DeWetsWild 
Difficult to think that such small beauties can be a pest – but then, that’s what happens when you introduce a species to a different habitat! I wonder if they’ll make it to Ireland? 🤔
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Order a few Geraniums from England and you might be lucky to have a stow-away in the package…
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😁😁
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Lovely little butterflies – I am finding that identifying “the blues” can be quite tricky. I enjoyed your photos of these tiny wonders.
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Very kind of you, thanks Carol. South Africa has an astounding variety of butterflies and looking for and identifying them when we’re out exploring has added another wonderful dimension to our trips.
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Hom/haar het ek al gesien
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Hulle is regtig alombekend, Tina.
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Such a pretty pest, Dries. I don’t remember seeing these in our garden in South Africa. Maybe they were too well camouflaged. Wishing you a lovely weekend. 😃
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If you have Geraniums and Pelargoniums in your SA garden these “pretty pests” will definitely come to visit, Sylvia. Next time you’re here I’m sure you’ll notice them now that you know what to look for.
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Now that I have my long-awaited butterfly guide in hand I will have to wait for another ‘explosion’ of butterflies in the garden. This icy weather has put paid to that.
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Nogal bekend en piepklein!
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Ek’t geweet jy sou bekend wees met hierdie enetjie, Ineke!
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Ja, ek mis daardie werklike interaksie met die omgewing. So in die dorp is maar nie die beste plek om fynere goedjies te sien nie. Dis op oomblik Duck shooting season en die eende is baie onrustig hier by die eende vrou. Dan is daar ook n ekstra paartjie Paradise shelducks wat die ou paartjie se gebied wil oorneem.http://nzbirdsonline.org.nz/species/paradise-shelduck
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Ek hoop dis uitheemse eende wat deurloop in “duck season”!
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Ja dit is. Mallard ducks wat ingevoer is vanaf Engeland 1800 en ook later eiers wat uit USA uitgebroei is. Hul het n inheemse eend hier heeltemaal uitgeteel. Dis ook tyd om takbokke wat ook ingevoer is uit te roei. Hier is ook wilde bokke wat jaarliks uitgedun word omdat hul meer skade as goed doen.
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Dit is goed om te hoor, Ineke. New Zealand het so n unieke natuurlike verskeidenheid voels en plantegroei en dit moet ten alle koste bewaar word.
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Is so. Hul werk baie hard om dit te behou. Tog glip daar gevalle of dinge deur wat die harde werk met een klap terug stoot. Bv dat n Kiwi wat vrygelaat is gevang word en gedood word agv agterlosigheid van mense wat nie van beter weet nie. Eintlik weet hul maar is net nie lus om om te gee nie. Ons Wood pigeon is bv beskermd en n minister het geskiet en saam gevat op vliegtuig in sy tas.
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Dit is uiters teleurstellend, Ineke. Die mensdom kan maar net nie beter doen nie.
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Against the right background one of those could be difficult to spot. Attractive markings.
Have a good weekend.
janet
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You are spot-on again, Janet – they usually only give away their presence when they start fluttering around, otherwise it is very easy to miss them.
And a lovely weekend to you too, thank you!
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Hello Dries,
The intricate patters on the wings are stunning. They may be tiny, but what a presence! As always, hope you and all your loved ones are staying safe and well.
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Thanks, Takami – we’ve got no reason for complaints and I trust that your family are well too?
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Thank you! Yes, we are also doing well 🙂
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That is good news, Takami. Have a great week!
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