Anyone who has been to Londolozi lately will certainly have noticed a number of additional splashes of colour to the already vibrant palate of summer in the bushveld. Whether up on an open crest or down beneath the ebony trees at the lodge, one does not need to look very far before you spot one of these culprits of colour. The creatures I’m referring to, are of course, butterflies.
Seeing a colourful butterfly as it gently wafts along on a balmy sunny afternoon epitomises summer. Recently there have been so many different butterflies floating around that it prompted ranger Fin Lawlor to give the rest of the ranging team a spot test on our butterfly identification. My rather mediocre result inspired me to find out a little bit more about these fascinating animals and compile a list of some of the butterflies you’re likely to find during a summertime stay at Londolozi.

1. African Monarch Butterfly – Danaus chrysippus aegyptius

The African Monarch’s bright orange wings with black edges and white spots make it a beautiful species to look at, but the bright colouration advertises something a bit more sinister – these butterflies are toxic!  If consumed, the butterfly’s toxins will cause the unfortunate victim to experience nausea and vomiting. The African Monarch acquires these toxins during the larval stage of its life cycle. The larvae will feed on toxic plants like Milkweeds and certain Huernia plants, assimilating the toxic cardenolides into their own bodies.
These butterflies are fairly common at Londolozi so they’re definitely a good species to spot, just make sure not to accidentally eat one!

Here we see the aposematic colours of the African Monarch warning would-be predators about the butterfly’s toxins. Image courtesy of Kate Albert.

2. Citrus Swallowtail – Papilio demodocus

These black and yellow butterflies are some of the largest we get here e and can be spotted in the woodland areas dotted around Londolozi. Unlike the African Monarch, the Citrus Swallowtail isn’t poisonous but it does make use of aposematic colouration as a sign of to ward off potential predators. In addition to its colouration, the Citrus Swallowtail also uses another defensive technique – a startle display. The two brown spots with the blue outline on the hind wing resemble eyes and should the butterfly suddenly open its wings a would-be predator may get a fright as it would appear as though a much larger animal was staring at it.

The Citrus Swallowtail displaying its false eyes in an attempt to frighten potential predators. Image courtesy of Wikipedia

3. Yellow Pansy – Junonia hierta

The Yellow Pansy is often found sitting on the ground sunning itself, like the guests around Varty Camp pool getting a tan in the summer months. Sometimes this species  can be so pre-occupied whilst feeding that predators catch it completely unaware, however, the Yellow Pansy is able to move so quickly that it keep ahead of its pursuer. Don’t let the name ‘pansy’ fool you, this species of butterfly is also very territorial and is often seen attacking other butterflies that happen to be passing by.

A Yellow Pansy taking some time away from its territorial duties to sun itself on a summer afternoon. Image courtesy of Wikipedia

4. African Migrant – Catopsilia florella

As the name suggests, the African Migrant is a migratory species of butterfly. Every year they undertake a large-scale migration and interestingly they usually tend to migrate in a north-easterly direction. In April 1966 one individual was recorded flying an amazing 650 kilometer journey along the southern coast of South Africa. These butterflies are highly variable when it comes to appearance but if you see hundreds, if not thousands, of butterflies flying north-east in late summer or early autumn, calling them African Migrant butterflies would be a reasonably safe bet.

Here we have a greenish-white example of an African Migrant. Their colours vary from almost pure white all the way through to a dark yellow. Image courtesy of Wikipedia.

5. Bushveld Purple Tip – Colotis ione

This species is a real crowd favourite back at camp. We often see them fluttering along the camp pathways and they stop regularly which allows us to admire their electric purple wing-tips. The Bushveld Purple Tip occurs year round although they are most prevalent in summer. One reason why they are so common in camp is that their larvae tends to feed on bush-cherry plants, which are plentiful in the gardens surrounding the camps.

The Bushveld Purple Tip’s electric purple wing tips really stand out against a landscape dominated by browns and greens. Image courtesy of Wikipedia

Now that summer is in full swing and the butterflies seem to be everywhere, be sure to look out for them whilst out on game drive or even on the deck in front of your room – you’ll be surprised at how many you spot once you start looking for them!

To read the sequel of this blog, click here: The Butterfly Effect: Part 2