Butterflies
Aeropetes tulbaghia
Distribution area: Throughout but prefers gorges and damp areas.
Flight Period: Nov – April
Larval host plant: Poaceae grasses
Remarks and habits: This species is the only pollinator of the Disa Orchid.
Torynesis hawequas
Distribution area: Higher slopes, and where food plant occurs.
Flight Period: March – April
Larval host plant: Poaceae grasses
Remarks and habits: Butterflies occur in huge numbers during flight period.
Cassionympha detecta
Distribution area: Throughout area preferring the thickets of valleys.
Flight Period: Sept – April
Larval host plant: Sedges – Ficina Fam.
Remarks and habits: Rapid bouncing flight through and over thickets.
Cassionympha cassius
Distribution area: Found in wet gorges and fringes of forests.
Flight Period: Sept – May
Larval host plant: Poaceae grasses
Remarks and habits: Bouncing flight in sunlight parts of forest.
Pseudonympha magus
Distribution area: Throughout reserve, but absent from higher peaks.
Flight Period: September – April
Larval host plant: Poaceae grasses
Remarks and habits: Bouncing flight over grass covered areas.
Papilio demodocus demodocus
Common Name: Citrus Swollowtail Butterfly
Family: Papolionidae
Description: Have black and yellow markings with red and blue eyespots, the female butterflies tend to be larger than males growing to 45mm.
Distribution: Common to sub-Saharan Africa.
Life Cycle: These butterflies pass through a three-generation life cycle per year, following the pattern, Egg-larvae-pupa-adult.
Diet: These butterflies feed on the nectar of flowers; they will hover briefly at each flower, their wings in constant motion, before moving off and resuming their flight in search of the next flower.
Behaviour: Courtship and mating is simple, once the female enters the visual field of the male, he quickly moves and forces the female to land. The male then produces pheromones to attract the female, she responds by emitting a perfume, and once she responds, mating can then take place. Females lay their eggs one by one on the leaves of Citrus Trees. After about six days, the eggs hatch.
Conservation Status: Least Concern
Interesting Fact: Adult butterflies are seen during December in the summer, in close range to plants belonging to the Citrus Family. When the larva is threatened by a predator (mainly birds) they emit a forked, orange-coloured organ that gives off a strong smell, discouraging the predator.