Re: South Africa diary
Posted: Tue Mar 21, 2023 11:35 am
Hello,
I'd like to continue posting the species of butterflies which occur here on the farm - i'll continue the family of blues, starting with some of the more common species found on the farm. Although the season here is getting on a bit, and we are starting to feel some cooler nights, the butterflies are still out in large numbers. On the way to wi-fi today, at a leak in the water pipe there were at least a thousand various butterflies mud-puddling, mainly blues but also some whites, charaxes and other nymphalids along with some browns. The bush here is drying out now after no rain fell for a while so any source of water is a magnet for insects. Unfortunately im still struggling to bend down to take photos but maybe in the next week I can make the most of this last strong flush of butterflies before autumn sets in strongly and cooler weather arrives.
Azanus jesous - Topaz spotted blue. This beautiful blue is the most common Lycaenid found on the farm and can be seen all year around but largest numbers are out early in the season during the spring. If there is dry weather and butterflies are looking for moisture hundreds of topaz spotted bloes can be found mud puddling together. Feeds on various acacia species which are very common here hence the large numbers of this species. The second most commonly seen blue is probably Azanus moriqua - Thorn tree blue. This little butterfly is very similar to the topaz spotted blue and shares similar habits and also food plants. Also an avid mud puddler they can often be seen feeding together or flitting around acacia trees. Azanus moriqua - Thorn tee blue Azanus moriqua - Thorn tee blue Azanus moriqua - Thorn tee blue and Charaxes jahlusa - Pearl spotted charaxes
Another closely related species is the velvet spotted blue. It's much scarcer than the previous two species and very similar to the topaz spotted blue and it takes a keen eye to see the difference while in the field. Azanus ubaldus - Velvet spotted blue Azanus ubaldus - Velvet spotted blue
A fairly scarce lycaenid here on Buffelsfontein is the Dotted blue - Tarucus sybaris sybaris. Its a real gem among the blues, and to spot one flitting amongst long grass is always a treat Tarucus sybaris sybaris - Dotted blue
Tarucus sybaris sybaris - Dotted blue Tarucus sybaris sybaris - Dotted blue
One of the smallest species of lyceanids found here is Trochylus freyeria -The grass jewel blue. Its another spectacular little butterfly and will pop up almost anywhere on the farm. Males and females are often found together dancing about a certain chosen spot, often settling on grass stems and small flowers. Also likes sitting on wet earth sucking salts along with its family members.
Freyeria trochylus - Grass jewel blue Freyeria trochylus - Grass jewel blue Freyeria trochylus - Grass jewel blue
Often seen with the grass jewel blue is the Cupreous blue - Eicochrysops messapus mahallakoaena. This sub-species is found in the north of the country mainly in limpopo province. On the farm this butterfly is very common and can easily be found sucking at wet earth. The upper side of the males wing is beautifully coloured with orange, apricot, mauves and blues when the light catches right.
Eicochrysops messapus mahallakoaena - Cupreous blue male Eicochrysops messapus mahallakoaena - Cupreous blue male Eicochrysops messapus mahallakoaena - Cupreous blue mating pair Eicochrysops messapus mahallakoaena - Cupreous blue
A few more photos of these species...
Azanus jesous - Topaz spotted blue and Azanus moriqua - Thorn tree blue and one Freyeria trochylus - Grass jewel blues and a lone Leptotes pirithous - Common (zebra) blue (not confirmed)
Azanus jesous -Topaz spotted blue and Azanus moriqua - Thorn tree blue Azanus jesous -Topaz spotted blue and Azanus moriqua - Thorn tree blue Azanus jesous - Topaz spotted blue and Hypolimnas misippus - Diadem Azanus jesous -Topaz spotted blue and Azanus moriqua - Thorn tree blue Azanus jesous- Topaz spotted blue and Lampides boeticus - Long tailed/lucerne blue
Freyeria trochylus - Grass jewel blue and one Eicochrysops messapus mahallakoaena - Cupreous blue
I'd like to continue posting the species of butterflies which occur here on the farm - i'll continue the family of blues, starting with some of the more common species found on the farm. Although the season here is getting on a bit, and we are starting to feel some cooler nights, the butterflies are still out in large numbers. On the way to wi-fi today, at a leak in the water pipe there were at least a thousand various butterflies mud-puddling, mainly blues but also some whites, charaxes and other nymphalids along with some browns. The bush here is drying out now after no rain fell for a while so any source of water is a magnet for insects. Unfortunately im still struggling to bend down to take photos but maybe in the next week I can make the most of this last strong flush of butterflies before autumn sets in strongly and cooler weather arrives.
Azanus jesous - Topaz spotted blue. This beautiful blue is the most common Lycaenid found on the farm and can be seen all year around but largest numbers are out early in the season during the spring. If there is dry weather and butterflies are looking for moisture hundreds of topaz spotted bloes can be found mud puddling together. Feeds on various acacia species which are very common here hence the large numbers of this species. The second most commonly seen blue is probably Azanus moriqua - Thorn tree blue. This little butterfly is very similar to the topaz spotted blue and shares similar habits and also food plants. Also an avid mud puddler they can often be seen feeding together or flitting around acacia trees. Azanus moriqua - Thorn tee blue Azanus moriqua - Thorn tee blue Azanus moriqua - Thorn tee blue and Charaxes jahlusa - Pearl spotted charaxes
Another closely related species is the velvet spotted blue. It's much scarcer than the previous two species and very similar to the topaz spotted blue and it takes a keen eye to see the difference while in the field. Azanus ubaldus - Velvet spotted blue Azanus ubaldus - Velvet spotted blue
A fairly scarce lycaenid here on Buffelsfontein is the Dotted blue - Tarucus sybaris sybaris. Its a real gem among the blues, and to spot one flitting amongst long grass is always a treat Tarucus sybaris sybaris - Dotted blue
Tarucus sybaris sybaris - Dotted blue Tarucus sybaris sybaris - Dotted blue
One of the smallest species of lyceanids found here is Trochylus freyeria -The grass jewel blue. Its another spectacular little butterfly and will pop up almost anywhere on the farm. Males and females are often found together dancing about a certain chosen spot, often settling on grass stems and small flowers. Also likes sitting on wet earth sucking salts along with its family members.
Freyeria trochylus - Grass jewel blue Freyeria trochylus - Grass jewel blue Freyeria trochylus - Grass jewel blue
Often seen with the grass jewel blue is the Cupreous blue - Eicochrysops messapus mahallakoaena. This sub-species is found in the north of the country mainly in limpopo province. On the farm this butterfly is very common and can easily be found sucking at wet earth. The upper side of the males wing is beautifully coloured with orange, apricot, mauves and blues when the light catches right.
Eicochrysops messapus mahallakoaena - Cupreous blue male Eicochrysops messapus mahallakoaena - Cupreous blue male Eicochrysops messapus mahallakoaena - Cupreous blue mating pair Eicochrysops messapus mahallakoaena - Cupreous blue
A few more photos of these species...
Azanus jesous - Topaz spotted blue and Azanus moriqua - Thorn tree blue and one Freyeria trochylus - Grass jewel blues and a lone Leptotes pirithous - Common (zebra) blue (not confirmed)
Azanus jesous -Topaz spotted blue and Azanus moriqua - Thorn tree blue Azanus jesous -Topaz spotted blue and Azanus moriqua - Thorn tree blue Azanus jesous - Topaz spotted blue and Hypolimnas misippus - Diadem Azanus jesous -Topaz spotted blue and Azanus moriqua - Thorn tree blue Azanus jesous- Topaz spotted blue and Lampides boeticus - Long tailed/lucerne blue
Freyeria trochylus - Grass jewel blue and one Eicochrysops messapus mahallakoaena - Cupreous blue