March 14 is World Butterfly Day, a global initiative following an American commemoration day called Learn About Butterflies Day. Butterflies are insects in the order of Lepidoptera. Most of the species in the group are moths, with only about 10% being actual butterflies.
New field guide
A second edition of Steve Woodhall’s book. Published by Struik Nature. Picture: Supplied
South Africa has 671 of the about 20000 species of butterflies found worldwide.
One of the most comprehensive books on local species, Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa, was written by amateur butterfly enthusiast Steve Woodhall in 2005. Now, 15 years later, Woodhall has produced a second edition of the popular guide, published by Struik Nature.
“Digital camera technology has made a huge difference in the quality of the images,” says Woodhall. “We were able to capture the butterflies in detail in their natural habitats and over 70% of the photographs in the book are new.”
Butterfly enthusiast, Steve Woodhall who has updated his guide to South African butterflies. Picture: Supplied
Species accounts have been updated and expanded and a handy alphabetical reference to butterfly groups is printed on the inside front cover. There is a comprehensive index of common and scientific names.
Name changes
Woodhall says although some scientific names have been changed, there are many more to butterfly common names. There are no international rules for common names and the changes have been made in order to better describe or separate a species from another with a close common name.
“The Lepidopterists’ Society of South Africa assisted with developing the new names and the revisions included in the new edition were approved by them,” he says.
One of the better-known butterfly families, the emperors, have been changed to charaxes and monarchs are now called tigers. South African coppers, with their non-metallic colourings in orange, dark red and even brown, have been changed to russets.
About butterflies
The butterfly life cycle comprises four parts - egg, caterpillar, chrysalis and winged adult. The colours of the wings and body hairs are made up of tiny scales. Wing patterns include spots, stripes, called striae, bands, blotches and speckles. Irrorations are tiny lines or spots set close together and running in a particular direction.
Butterflies feed on nectar and overripe fruit and take up salts from muddy puddles.
Although they are not able to carry as much pollen as bees, they are still important pollinators.
Butterflies in your garden
The eyed pansy is now called the African blue pansy. Picture: Steve Woodhall
Butterflies need water, shelter and food - for adults and caterpillars. To welcome butterflies back, aim to rewild your garden. Choose locally ingenious species where possible, as nectar-rich plants for food for adult butterflies and larval host plants.
“The most important aspect of a butterfly garden is not to use pesticides,” says Woodhall.
“If you need to control caterpillars on clivia, rather make you own spray. Take a cup of canola oil and sunlight liquid and mix together in a jar. Then add a few teaspoons to a half a litre of water and spray it on plants as needed.”
Habitat and resting areas
A good butterfly border should contain plants of different heights and be planted in a crescent shape to provide shelter from the wind. Taller shrubs at the back provide a place for butterflies to rest in the sun.
Add a place for “puddling”, behaviour often seen in males, where butterflies congregate at a muddy spot to take up water and salts. The side of a pond is a good location or use the top of an old bird bath set at ground level. Fill with soil, gravel and pebbles and sprinkle some bone meal on the surface.
Flowers for nectar
Feast of flowers. Butterflies are attracted to pink, purple and yellow flowers. Picture: Supplied
Butterflies have a tubular, straw-like organ called a proboscis which allows them to suck up nectar. They are attracted to pink, purple, yellow, orange and even red blooms and nectar-rich white flowers.
The butterfly bush (Gaura spp.) is a low-maintenance and water-wise shrub that produces pink or white flowers and attracts a number of species to the garden. Butterflies are also attracted to herb gardens and are often seeing flitting around lavender, dill and fennel.
The aptly named butterfly bush (Gaura spp.) attracts butterflies to the garden. Pictured, Gaura ‘Belleza Pink’. Picture: Supplied
If you want to supplement the food source, place some overripe fruit, especially bananas and oranges, on an old tree stump or feeding table.
What other plants can you choose?
Agapanthus spp., Arctotis spp., Bulbine spp., Natal plum (Carissa macrocarpa), honey bell bush (Freylinia tropica), Gaura spp., Gazania spp., blue daisy bush (Felicia amelloides), ribbon bush (Hypoestes aristata), Limonium spp., Pelargonium spp., Salvia spp., Scabiosa spp., verbena and zinnia.
Host plants
Butterflies lay their eggs on specific plant species that provide food for the larva once they hatch. Many gardeners blanch at the idea of caterpillars feasting on a prized plant’s leaves, but in most cases the damage is minimal. Younger plants may be more adversely affected.
Wild dagga (Leonotis leonurus) attracts a number of different insect and bird species to the garden. The bush bronze butterfly (Cacyreus lingeus) uses the plant as a larval food plant.
The wild peach (Kiggelaria africana) attracts a number of butterflies and is the host plant for the garden acraea butterfly.
The wild peach (Kiggelaria africana) is a host plant for the garden acraea butterfly (Acraea horta). Picture: Carol Knoll
What other host plants can you include? Cape leadwort (Plumbago auriculata), Cape honeysuckle, (Tecomaria capensis), cork bush (Mundulea sericea), pig’s ears (Cotyledon orbiculata), Crassula spp., Kalanchoe spp., sweet thorn (Vachellia karroo) and citrus spp. and the white ironwood (Vepris lanceolata) for the beautiful citrus swallowtails.