SANParks.org Forums

Not sure if this should be posted under the KNP forum, but I figured I'd rather post it here where there are other people who find the big 5 boring

I just got back from some butterfly surveys for the Lowveld. I spent most of my time in the private reserves next to Kruger (Orpen area) but I also spent 3 days in the KNP looking for butterflies. I had a ranger for one day and went off to Nwanetsi, but the other days I surveyed from the vehicle, which actually proved quite productive. All in all, I got about 50 - 60 species (exactly 200 records) in 5 quarter degree blocks for KNP, despite horrible weather. So here's a few photos of the more common things! For those who are going to the Kruger in the next few weeks, be on the lookout for bugs. They are actually more interesting than lions and leopards! I'm bored now I'm back in Joburg, so I'll upload many pics. Sorry for those without fast internet...

Acraea oncaea / Window Acraea female


Pinacopteryx eriphia / Zebra white


Mating pair of Zizeeria knysna / Sooty blues


Byblia illithya / Spotted Joker male and larva




Acraea natalica / Natal Acraea male and mating pair



Charaxes jasius / Foxy Emperor male


Mopani worm


Colotis vesta / Veined tip male (Nwanetsi area)


Colotis amata / Topaz Arab female (Nwanetsi area)


Colotis evagore / Small orange tip males


Hypolycaena philippus / Purple - brown hairstreak (Nkuhlu Picnic Site)


Kedestes callicles / Pale ranger female (Nkuhlu Picnic Site)


Acraea acara / Acara Acraea male (Nkuhlu Picnic Site)


Added some photos of reptiles from the Lowveld in another thread.
Reptiles from the trip

So glad you decided to spoil us with some of your pics And that someone with your expertise is willing to share their knowledge. Thank you.

If I ever get more butterflies to sit still for longer than 1 second (and a lens with a shorter focusing distance) I might be bothering you with some id queries in the future

I wanted to see if the public could contribute good records (SABCA VM records) if only allowed on foot near picnic sites and by driving around, and I was quite surprised. If you find some good flowers you can easily get good identifyable shots (and don't forget to resharpen your images after resampling like I did.... ). On the roads next to the Sabie and Sand rivers, I was able to get about 30 species within 30 minutes, and all photographed as proof. So it can be done. But it takes a bit of practice to spot the little ones!

So I'm looking forward to all the new SABCA VM records from the KNP...

Hi

I'm glad to see that I have a "maatjie" frend looking at smaller things like "butterfly's and insects. Your photo's are excellent.

I have tried to take pictures of butterfly's, I have one problem. They do not want to sit still and open their wings when you have your camera with you. You have to be very pasient with them.

Can you ID these butterfly's

It looks as if you can see through the tips of this fellow.



I could take thee photo's of one sitting on a flower.

The first one is a wandering donkey acraea (Acraea neobule), and the second is also a pale ranger (Kedestes callicles).

Thank you Bushsnake.

Miniature works of art!

The magic in the bush often lies in the small things.

Thanks BS!