The Lycaenid family of butterflies (commonly called ‘Blues’ even though not all display this colouration) is the largest, with great variety and a host of different life history types. In this short piece, I will continue to highlight certain species that have peculiar aspects in their life histories or are just particularly interesting from some behavioural points or aesthetical colouration.
The predatory behaviour of the Woolly Legs larvae is unusual for a group of organisms that are generally considered to be herbivores in their larval stages. The adult female will deposit her eggs in close proximity to groups of bugs from the Hilda spp. (Tettigometridae) of nymphs. The Woolly Leg larvae that hatch take on the predatory method of foraging by actively hunting the Hilda spp. nymphs that are feeding on the sap of, for example, the Potato Bush (Phyllanthus reticulatus).
The yellow-coloured Spotted Pentila (Pentila tropicalis), a reasonably rare find, was only believed to occur in KwaZulu-Natal with another subspecies found in the Soutpansberg Mountain area. In this area the Pentila was first found at Franklyn Park in 2010, and then further sightings were made on the Eden farm, Fleur de Lys farm (along the Klaserie River), and then at the Otters Den Lodge and Blyde Botanical Reserve, both along the Blyde River. During this time, on a visit to the Lowveld Botanical Gardens, a Spotted Pentila was the first butterfly spotted. Since these discoveries, the Pentila has been recorded at a number of localities along the foothills of the Drakensberg Mountain all the way to Barberton.
The larvae of the Spotted Pentila feed on cyanobacterial algae that are part of the symbiosis with fungi forming the lichen. Eggs are laid near lichen growing on tree bark, and the well camouflaged larvae then feed on the lichen and hide in the crevices of the tree bark. Other of cyanobacteria-feeding butterfly species that may be seen locally are Pennington’s Buff (Cnodontes penningtoni) and Yellow Zulu (Alaena amazoula). A more well-known species of cyanobacterial feeders is the rare Wolkberg Zulu (Alaena margaritacae) found at only two localities around Haenertsberg.
The Hutchinson’s High-flier (Aphnaeus hutchinsonii) is an exquisite small butterfly with striking colouration and patterning. The males of this species are often found active on high lying areas hence the term ‘hill-topping’. The females are more prevalent around the larval host plants and will fly up to the top of hills where the males are located. After getting the attention of a male, they fly-off to mate, the female returning to the larval host plant locations.
Woodhall (2005) describes hill-topping as follows: ‘a well-known butterfly behaviour associated with male location. Males compete for hilltop territories, then perch on prominent features such as twigs. Females ascend the hills to seek out the dominant individuals’.
The wild fig trees (Ficus spp.), a common feature of the Hoedspruit area, provides of fruit bounty to many wildlife species. A variety of Lepidoptera species have these trees as larval host plants including the striking Fig-tree Blues. The larvae of the Common Fig-tree Blue (Myrina selinus) are colourful but very well camouflaged and often difficult to spot due to the cryptic colouration. But the pièce de resistance, is the adults in their splendid coat of vibrant colour! Wings tipped with chestnut-orange and the remainder filled with iridescent blue, and with the hindwing ending in a long, slightly twisted broad tail, complete the colourful package. The males also have the tendency to hill-top, occupying prominent locations that they defend against other males.
Another one of the brightly coloured hill-toppers is the Bar butterfly group. The Natal Bar (Cigaritis natalensis) is one of the more common Bars found in our area. The forewing has intricate patterning of dark brown and orange covering most of the forewing, while the hindwing is dominated by iridescent blue. The trailing edge of each hindwing has a pair of small tails and, combined with an eyespot nearby, give an impression of a false head – a mechanism to fool predators into attacking the wrong end of the butterfly. When at rest the butterfly will continuously move the hindwings, imitating the movement of antennae enhancing the ‘false head’ effect.
A butterfly considered a rare find, Juanita’s Hairtail (Anthene crawshyi juanitae) was for many years considered to only occur along the Olifants River at the Manoutsa Resort below the Strydom Tunnel. Having Senegalia polycantha (white thorn) as its larval host plant, meant that it was also restricted to riverine habitats. However, as recent as 2011, a colony of this species was discovered in the Lekgalameetse Nature Reserve, a discovery that probably secures the future of this species that was considered critically endangered. Considering how many Lepidopterists have visited this reserve over many decades, it is amazing that this species has only been recorded so recently.
Many of the Lycaenids (for example the coppers and skollys) may be considered drab, with no dramatic colouration or intriguing life history aspects. However, they all form part of some ecosystem somewhere in this naturally diverse country of ours. Respect these creatures as they contribute in a big way to the pollination of wildflowers primarily and, even though often destructive in the larval stages (from our humanistic perspective), require that we attend to their preservation just as much as what we may do for a rhino.
