Butterflies of the Cape Peninsula, by A.J.M. Claassens

Butterflies of the Cape Peninsula, by A.J.M. Claassens.

Butterflies of the Cape Peninsula, by A.J.M. Claassens.

A.J.M. Claassens’ Butterflies of the Cape Peninsula is a comprehensive field guide to all the butterflies of South Africa, with over 280 individual photographs.

A.J.M. Claassens  

In their book, Butterflies of the Table Mountain Range (1980), the authors Claassens and Dickson dealt with the 53 species of butterfly then known to occur on this Peninsula range. Butterflies of the Cape Peninsula is an extension of that guide, illustrating and comprehensively discussing the 70 species of butterfly presently known to occur in the entire Cape Peninsula. Twenty or so Peninsula butterflies are common garden and roadside butterflies, but most species are localised and often rare mountain and coastal Fynbos insects. Some of the Peninsula butterflies are threatened with extinction and others have disappeared from previously known localities, although some of these may still thrive elsewhere. New, permanent arrivals have also been recorded in the area over the past two decades, and three occasional migrants from the eastern districts of the country visit the Cape Peninsula at irregular intervals.

About this book
In this work, the Cape Peninsula's butterflies are grouped under the families or subfamilies to which they belong. Numbering is sequential, and not taxonomically related, and, to facilitate ease of reference, the species in this book have been numbered from 1 to 70. Each time a butterfly is mentioned in this text, its common name is followed by the corresponding number. The uppersides of the butterflies, most often of both male and female, as well as the underside of either the male or female of every species is depicted in colour, as is one or more of the early stages of many species.

Informative details regarding size, distribution, flight period, larval food and early stages are offered alongside the corresponding plates. In some species, additional notes have been added to highlight features or habits of particular interest and, in the introductory text, a few line illustrations have been added to enhance understanding of the relevant text. In the so-called Blues and Coppers, special attention is devoted to the association of their larvae with ants.

Lacular and scientific names
This guide is aimed at the lay person with a general interest in the flora and fauna of the Cape Peninsula. With that in mind, the common (vernacular) names of the butterflies and ants with which the larvae of many species are associated, are used throughout the text. Of the larval food plants too, common names, where these are known, are used. A number of butterflies have more than one common name, but only those names which are most appropriate for the Peninsula species are used in this work. The scientific names of butterflies and their food plants and host ants are also provided, as are the common Afrikaans butterfly names.

Peninsula inland boundary
For the purposes of this book, the inland boundary of the Cape Peninsula is regarded to be represented by a straight line drawn from the Milnerton Lighthouse on the West Coast of the Peninsula, to Strandfontein on the East Coast, encompassing the Cape Peninsula National Park. However, a few butterflies, including the Sand-dune Widow (6), Feltham's Opal (29), Barber's Ranger (63), Unique Ranger (64), White-branded Swift (66), and perhaps Silver Arrowhead (18), are almost entirely restricted to the low-lying areas bordering the Cape Flats.

Of the more than 650 species of butterfly known to occur in South Africa, the Western Cape boasts 150 varieties, and the Cape Peninsula is blessed with 67 species and subspecies, as well as three occasional & migrants. For its size of less than 420 square kilometres, the Cape Peninsula has a rich butterfly fauna. However, the butterfly fauna of the Peninsula compares poorly with the extreme richness of its flora, and comparatively few plant families serve as food for butterfly larvae.

Example from Butterflies of the Cape Peninsula:

Silver Arrowhead; Phasis thero thero; Silwerpylkoppie

Wingspan: Males about 37 mm.
Sexes: Similar, but females usually larger than males.
Distribution: In the Cape Peninsula the Silver Arrowhead may be found at Strandfontein and in suitable localities around the coast. It flies from Namaqualand to at least as far as Knynsa, but is absent from the Table Mountain range itself.
Flight period: August until April.

Food plants and early stages: The larvae feed on leaves of Honeybush (Melianthus major), Kuni-bush (Rhus undulataj and other Rhus species. The larvae are associated with Cocktail Ants (Crematogoster spp.). During the day the larvae shelter in hollow stems of Honeybushes and in crevices in the stems of Rhus bushes, where they are continuously attended by the ants. During the night they leave their shelters in the company of ants to feed on the leaves of the food plants. They also pupate in these shelters. Occasionally larvae and pupae are found in these shelters without ants being anywhere near them, at least during the day time.

This is an extract from the book: Butterflies of the Cape Peninsula, by A.J.M. Claassens.

Book title: Butterflies of the Cape Peninsula
Author: A.J.M. Claassens
Publisher: Tafelberg Publishers
Cape Town, South Africa 2000
ISBN-10: 0-624-038955
ISBN-13: 9780624038955
Softcover, 15x21 cm, 72 pages, 280 photographs and illustrations

Claassens, A.J.M. im Namibiana-Buchangebot

Butterflies of the Cape Peninsula

Butterflies of the Cape Peninsula

Butterflies of the Cape Peninsula is a comprehensive field guide to all the butterflies of South Africa, with over 280 individual photographs.

Butterflies of the Western Cape

Butterflies of the Western Cape

Butterflies of the Western Cape is an informative, user-friendly guide that assists gardeners and nature lovers alike.

Weitere Buchempfehlungen

Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa

Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa

For easy identification in the field this comprehencive field guide features all of South Africa’s more than 660 butterfly species.

First Field Guide to Butterflies and Moths of Southern Africa

First Field Guide to Butterflies and Moths of Southern Africa

First Field Guide to Butterflies and Moths of Southern Africa introduces to the more common moth and butterfly groups that occur in the southern African region.