Butterflies

I am finding photographing and identifying butterflies to be rather challenging. But is is also a fascinating hobby and adds another element to my enjoyment of nature. My butterfly list at the end of February stands at 93.  

African Plain Tiger (Danaus chrysippus)African Monarch

African Monarch

Common Evening Brown (Melanitis leda)Common Evening Brown
Black-haired Bush Brown (Bicyclus safitza safitza)Black-haired Bush Brown

Squinting Bush Brown (Bicyclus anynana anynana)Squinting Bush Brown

Table Mountain Beauty (Aeropetes tulbaghia)Table Mountain Beauty
Rainforest Dull Brown (Cassionympha cassius)Rainforest_Dull_Brown
Orange lined ringlet (Coenyropsis natalii natalii)Orange lined Ringlet
Eastern Hillside Brown (Stygionympha scotina)Eastern Hillside Brown
Garden Acraea (Acraea horta)Garden Acraea

Garden Acraea

Wandering Donkey Acraea (Acraea neobule neobule)Wandering Donkey Acrea
Black-based acraea (Acraea natalica)Black Based Acraea
Window Acraea (Acraea oncaea)
MaleWidow Acraea
Acara Acraea (Acraea acara acara)Acara Acraea
Marsh Telchinia (Telchinia rahira rahira)Marsh Telchinia
Dancing Telchinia (Telchinia serena)Dancing Telchinia
African Leopard (Phalanta phalantha aethiopica)African Leopard
Foxy Charaxes (Charaxes saturnus saturnus)Foxy Charaxes
Bushveld Charaxes (Charaxes achaemenes achaemenes)Bushveld Charaxes
Demon Charaxes (Charaxes phaeus)Demon Charaxes
Spotted Sailer (Neptis saclava marpessa)Spotted Sailer
Guineafowl (Hamanumida daedalus)Guineafowl
Spotted Joker (Byblia ilithya)Spotted Joker
Common Diadem (Hypolimnas misippus)Common Diadem
Common Mother-of-Pearl (Protogoniomorpha parhassus)Common Mother of Pearl
Pirate (Catacroptera cloanthe cloanthe)Pirate
Southern Gaudy Commodore (Precis octavia octavia)Southern Gaudy Commodore
Darker Commodore (Precis antilope)Darker Commodore
Garden Inspector (Precis archesia archesia)
FemaleGarden Commodore
MaleGarden Commodore
Soldier Pansy (Junonia terea elgiva)Soldier Pansy
Brown Pansy (Junonia natalica natalica)Brown Pansy
Yellow Pansy (Junonia hierta cebrene)Yellow Pansy
Dark Blue Pansy (Junonia oenone oenone)Dark Blue Pansy
African Blue Pansy (Junonia crithya madagascariensis)African Blue Pansy
Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)Butterfly
Purple-brown Hairstreak (Hypolycaena philippus philippus)Purple Brown Hairstreak
Lilac-based Black-eye (leptomyrina gorgias gorgias)Lilac based Black eye
Eastern Scarlet (Axiocerces tjoane tjoane)
FemaleCommon Scarlet
Bush Scarlet (Axiocerces amanga amanga)
MaleBush Scarlet
Veined Russet (Aloeides pierus)Veined Russet
Steel-blue Cilate Blue (Anthene definita definita)Steel blue Cilate Blue
Black-striped Cilate Blue (Anthene amarah amarah)Black striped Cilate Blue
Black Heart (Uranothauma nubifer nubifer)Black Heart
Mocker Bronze (Cacyreus virilis)Mocker Bronze
Common Geranium Bronze (Cacgreus marshalli) Geranium BronzeGeranium Bronze
Blue sp (Leptotes sp)

There are 3 Leptotes species that cannot be distinguished without studying them under a microscope. I have found a couple of these that will remain un-identified.ButterflyLeptotes sp

Pea Blue (Lampides boeticus)Pea Blue
Dotted Pierrot (Tarucus sybaris)Dotted Pierrot
Patrician Giant Cupid (Lepidochrysops patricia)Patrician Giant Cupid
Cupreous Ash Blue (Eichochrysops messapus)

Cupreous Ash Blue Cupreous Ash Blue

Rayed Blue (Actizera lucida)Rayed Blue 
African Grass Blue (Zizeeria knysna)African Grass Blue
Topaz Babul Blue (Azanus jesous)Topaz Babul Blue
Natal Babul Blue (Azanus natalensis)Natal Babul Blue
Grass Jewel Blue (Chilades trachylus)Grass jewel Blue
 
Tiny Grass Blue (Zizula hylax)Tiny Grass Blue
Zebra White (Pinacopteryx eriphia eriphia)Zebra White
Topaz Arab (Colotis amata calais)Topaz Arab
Bushveld Purple Tip (Colotis ione)

Bushveld Purple Tip    Bushveld Purple Tip

Scarlet Tip (Colotis annae annae)

Scarlet Tip    Scarlet Tip

Sulphur Orange Tip (Colotis auxo auxo)Sulphur Orange tip
Red Tip (Colotis antevippe gavisa)Red Tip
African Orange Tip (Colotis evinina evinina)African Orange Tip
Southern Round-winged Orange Tip (Colotis euippe omphale)Round Winged Orange Tip
Bushveld Orange Tip (Colotis pallene)

Bushveld Orange Tip    Bushveld Orange Tip

Small Orange Tip (Colotis evagore antigone)Small Orange Tip
Speckled Sulphur Tip (Teracolus agoye agoye)Speckled Sulphur Tip
Banded Gold Tip (Teracolus eris eris)
MaleBanded Gold Tip
FemaleBanded Gold Tip
Lemon Traveller (Teracolus subfasciatus)Lemon Traveller
Pioneer Caper White (Belenois aurota)
African Brown White    African Brown White
African Caper White (Belenois creona severina)African Caper White
African Veined White (Belenois gidica abyssinica)

African Veined White   African Veined White

African Ant-heap White (Dixera charina charina)African Small White
Southern Meadow White (Pontia helice helice)Southern Meadow White
Twin Dotted Border (Mylothris rueppelli naemus)

Twin Dotted Border    Twin Dotted Border

Eastern Dotted Border (Mylothris agathina agathina)

Eastern Dotted Border   Eastern Dotted Border

African Migrant (Catopsilia florella)African Migrant African Migrant   African Migrant
Lowveld Grass Yellow (Eurema hecabe solifera)Lowveld Grass Yellow
Broad-bordered Grass Yellow (Euramia brigitta brigitta)Broad bordered Grass Yellow
Citrus Swallowtail (Papilio demodocus demodocus)Citrus Swallowtail
Mocker Swallowtail (Papilio dardanus cenea)Mocker Swallowtail
Narrow Green-banded Swallowtail (Papilio nireus lyaeus)Green_banded Swallowtail
Large Striped Swordtail (Graphium antheus)Large Striped Swordtail
Striped Policeman (Coeliades forestan forestan)Striped Policeman
Two-pip Policeman (Coeliades pisistratus)Two Pip Policeman
Dark Elfin (Sarangesa seineri)Dark Elfin
Sandman (Spialia sp)Spialia sp
Green-marbled Skipper (Gomalia elma elma)Green marbled Skipper
Peppered Hopper (Platylesches ayresii)Peppered Hopper

White-branded swift (Pelopidas thrax)White Branded Swift

Dark Dodger (Gegenes pumlilio gambica)Dark Dodger
Dodger (Afrogenenus sp)Common Hottentot Skipper

Moths

I am yet to find a pattern for identification when it comes to identifying moths. It is outrageous how moths in a family and sub-family can differ!

Learner Slug (Afraltha chionostola)Learner Slug
Common Bagworm Moth Larvae Case (Eumeta cervina)Common Bagworm Moth Larvae Case
Dotted Sable (Bocchoris inspersalis)Dotted Sable
Measured Pearl (Nausinoe geometralis)Measured Pearl
Variegated Pearl (Synclera traducalis)Variegated Pearl
Inconspicuous Thornyvalve (Acanthovalva inconspicuaria)Acanthovalva inconspicuaria
Zamarada spZamarada sp
Eyed Lattice (Prasinocyma oculata)Eyed Lattice
Red-lined Emerald Moth (Heterorachis devocata)Red lined Emerald Moth
Lunar Prince (Campimoptilum kuntzei)Lunar Prince
Death’s-head Hawkmoth (Acherontia atropos)Deaths Head Hawk moth
Convolvulus Hawkmoth (Agrius convolvuli)Convolvolus Hawkmoth
Silver-striped Hawkmoth (Hippotion celerion)Silver Striped Hawkmoth
Balsam Striped Hawk Moth (Hippotion balsaminae)Balsam Striped Hawk Moth
Banner Eublemma (Eublemma anachoresis)Eublemma anachoresis
Triangle Moth (Trigonodes sp) Trigonodes hyppasia Triangle Moth
Ophiusa mejanesiOphiusa mejanesi
Wavy Owl (Calliodes pretiosissima)Wavy Owl Moth
Cream-striped Owl Moth (Cyligramma Latana)Cyligramma Latana
Geometric Lined False-thorn (Mocis proverai)Mocis proverai
Sundowner Moth (Spingomorpha chlorea)Sundowner Moth
Echo (Achaea echo)Echo Moth
Crimson Speckled Footman (Utetheisa pulchella)Utetheisa pulchella
Kili Maiden (Amata kilimanjuaris)Amata Alicia
Orange-spot Maiden (Asinusca atricornis)Orange Spot Maiden
Equine Maiden (Thyretes hippote)Equine Maiden
Caterpillar – Bicoloured Tussock Moth (Psalis africana)Bicoloured Tussock Moth
Thysanoplusia orichalceaThysanoplusia orichalcea
 
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