About the Author

Nick Sims

Alumni Field Guide

Nick was a ranger at Londolozi from 2018 - 2022. He always had a love for nature. Growing up in Johannesburg, the annual family trip to the bush (particularly the Kruger Lowveld region of South Africa) became an escape from city life. When ...

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14 Comments

on The Butterfly Effect: Part 2

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Our trips have been in winter, so we’ve missed the experience. Thanks for sharing!
Also, enjoy seeing the rarity of blue as in the Common Diadem.

This is SO what I LOVE about this Blog – there is space for the little things too. I understand that the Big Five are a large part of Londolozi’s bread and butter, but you also take the time and trouble to write articles on the birds and the butterflies and to point out things pertaining to aspects of the ecology that we would otherwise miss! Next time you guys post a blog I’m going to make sure I have a Gin and Tonic ready – so I can read the Blog and drink the G&T. (Maybe I can find a pith helmet somewhere). Thanks again for my Daily Dose of Colour!

This is one of my favourite blogs. Just came back from a rrip to Kruger. There were so many butterflies, but so difficult to photograph. They just did not stay still long enough. Interesting that they only fly at 27°C.

Marina, I wonder if I could make a suggestion? You may need your tripod though. Butterflies, like Dragonflies, are creatures of habit and will very often come back to a particular flower or spray of flowers. Set up your tripod and camera to focus on what looks pretty – preferably a flower that has already been visited. If you know how to trigger your shutter release using your cellphone do that too and move back a bit. If it’s a butterfly that tends to hover around close to the ground consider mounting your camera on a Gorillapod (or the generic equivalent!) Don’t watch your screen or look through the viewfinder – watch the butterfly. When it lands on your targeted flower or whatever, trigger your shot.

Thank you so much Nic. We have got a tripod and a gorilla “thing”. I will practice in my garden so that I know how to do it when we go into the bush again.

Oh, I am sorry Sue. I thought it was Nick commenting. Thank you so much for the great tip. Definitely going to try it.

Lovely images and varieties of butterflies found in Londolozi.

Brilliant catches, Nick!

Refreshing change of subject. The Lowveld continues to amaze and we learn something new from each post! Kudos!

Very interesting, Nick! Thank you so much. We live in a complex on a hill in Randburg and every year we see hordes of little while butterflies which all seem to be flying from West to East. We have no idea what they are and haven’t yet seen one close up. Have you any idea what these can be? They are starting to fly around now as we have seen a couple already. What would their final destination be? Have you any idea? Wendy M

Nice! I like The Guineafowl butterfly pattern is particularly cool!

Beautiful!! Were blue pansy and scarlet tip mentioned in the previous post?

Beautiful images – and you identified several butterflies I’ve photographed at Londolozi in the past, Nick! Thanks!

Lovely blog, Nic. Just a query though – you say butterflies only fly at temperatures of 27c or more – is that just certain species? We have quite a lot of butterflies in summer in our garden in southern England – and it rarely reaches those temperatures!

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