Tag Archives: South African Butterflies

Topaz Spotted Blue Butterfly

Azanus jesous

The Topaz Spotted Blue occurs commonly through most of South Africa, being absent only from the drier western reaches of the country, and inhabits a wide range of habitats where they gather in numbers around flowering thorn trees or to drink from puddles. Adults, with a wingspan of less than 3cm, can be seen throughout the year though their numbers peak in summer. The larvae feeds on several different kinds of thorn trees (Acacia sensu lato and Dichrostachys).

Topaz Spotted Blue

Topaz-spotted Blue / Topaz Babul Blue

Streaked Sailer Butterfly

8 Replies

Neptis goochii

Confined to warm and humid lowland and riverine forests, in South Africa the Streaked Sailer is found only in northern coastal Kwazulu-Natal and along the escarpment of Limpopo and Mpumalanga. Adults may be seen throughout the year and have a wingspan of less than 4cm. It is a very nervous butterfly and difficult to approach, and notable for their fondness for using a conspicuous twig or leaf as a lookout point from which to launch attacks on interlopers into their territory.

Streaked Sailer

Streaked Sailer butterfly

Foxy Emperor Butterfly

17 Replies

Charaxes jasius

In South Africa the Foxy Emperor Butterfly is found from the North West Province, through Limpopo, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, the northern Free State and Kwazulu-Natal to the eastern-most reaches of the Eastern Cape Province, commonly occurring in habitats ranging from forest edge to dry savanna and regularly encountered on top of hills. Adults have a wingspan of up to 9cm (females are slightly bigger than males) and may be seen throughout the year. They’re very fast fliers and are attracted to sap flowing from damaged tree trunks, rotting fruit and wet dung. The larvae feed on a wide range of plant species.

Foxy Emperor

Foxy Emperor (photo by Marilize)

Foxy Emperor butterfly

Foxy Emperor butterflies

Foxy Emperor butterfly

Foxy Emperor butterfly trying to chase off a Demon Emperor butterfly

Foxy Emperor Butterfly

Small Striped Swordtail Butterfly

7 Replies

Graphium policenes

Despite a wingspan of up to 7cm, the Small Striped Swordtail is one of the smaller butterflies in the family. In South Africa it is found in coastal bush and forests in Kwazulu-Natal and the extreme north-east of the Eastern Cape. They usually fly high and very fast, but do congregate at mud puddles from time to time. Adults are on the wing through the warmer months from September to April.

Small-striped Swordtail

Small-striped Swordtail (photo by Joubert)

Soldier Pansy Butterfly

15 Replies

Junonia terea

A butterfly of coastal and riverine forests, the Soldier Pansy is restricted to suitable parts of Kwazulu-Natal and the Lowveld and escarpment of Mpumalanga and Limpopo (as far as its local distribution is concerned). Adults have a wingspan of up to 6cm and can be seen throughout the year, though their numbers peak in spring and autumn. They fly slowly through shady clearings and along pathways and settle often, usually on a leaf just above ground level.

Soldier Pansy

Dusky Copper Butterfly

13 Replies

Aloeides taikosama

The Dusky Copper is a small butterfly with a wingspan of only about 3cm which occurs from Kwazulu-Natal to North West through Mpumalanga, Gauteng and Limpopo where they inhabit grasslands and thorny savanna. They usually occur in small colonies and even when disturbed will not fly far from their colony. Adults are seen from September to May.

Dusky Copper butterfly

Dusky Copper

African Small White Butterfly

6 Replies

Dixeia charina

One of the smaller species of the family, with a wingspan ranging only up to 4cm, the African Small White has a limited distribution stretching from the Garden Route to the southern Lowveld where they inhabit coastal, montane and riverine forests and dense woodlands. Larvae feed on the leaves of caperbushes. Adults fly year-round, reaching peak numbers towards the end of summer.

African Small White butterfly on Karoo Num-num flowers

African Small White

Brown Pansy Butterfly

12 Replies

Junonia natalica

The Brown Pansy, or Brown Commodore, is a medium-sized butterfly with a wingspan of around 5cm. It lives in coastal and riverine forests and dense savannas, where it flies low and slow through open areas. They settle often, being attracted to flowers and puddles, slowly opening and closing their wings, but are also restless and easily flushed. Adults fly year round, with numbers peaking in spring and summer. in South Africa, Brown Pansies occur through much of Kwazulu-Natal and into the Lowveld and escarpment of Mpumalanga and Limpopo.

Brown Commodore, aka Brown Pansy

Zebra White Butterfly

11 Replies

Pinacopteryx eriphia

The Zebra White is another butterfly that is distributed over much of South Africa, and is found in pockets of all our provinces. It doesn’t appear to be numerous anywhere though. It inhabits arid scrub and thickets, warmer grasslands and savanna habitats. Adults have a wingspan of between 4 and 5cm and can be seen throughout the year. They usually fly slow and very close to the ground but can accelerate very quickly to escape danger when required.

Zebra White butterfly

Zebra White

Zebra White butterfly

Zebra White Butterfly

Painted Lady Butterfly

27 Replies

Vanessa cardui

The Painted Lady is the most widespread butterfly in the world, being found on every continent except South America and Antarctica. There isn’t a corner of South Africa where they do not occur and they inhabit every habitat, from desert to forests, including parks and gardens.

Adults have a wingspan of between 4 and 5cm, with females being slightly larger than males. The males are territorial and defend small areas of bare ground as their patch. They can fly rapidly but often only glide close to the ground, flapping their wings only occasionally, and settling often with wings spread out. These butterflies have a habit of swarming and migrating in various parts of their cosmopolitan range, also here in South Africa. Painted Ladies can be seen year round, being most numerous in spring and autumn. The larvae are raised on a wide variety of food plants.