Butterflies of South Africa

Butterflies of South Africa: overview

The Republic of South Africa is one of the continent's most studied countries in entomology. More than 660 species of day-flying butterflies are recorded here. Diversity is shaped by several fundamentally different biomes: humid subtropics in the east, arid Karoo in the center, Mediterranean fynbos in the southwest, and tropical forests near the Mozambique border.

Cape Floristic Region (fynbos)

Fynbos is a unique biome in southwestern South Africa with exceptional endemism: more than 8,700 plant species, 70% found nowhere else. Several blues (Poecilmitis, Chrysoritis) are adapted exclusively to this biome and are endemics of the Cape Floristic Region.

Kruger and northeastern forests

Kruger National Park and adjacent areas near the Mozambique and Zimbabwe borders are South Africa's richest region by species count. Tropical species occur here: large swallowtails of the genus Papilio, Charaxes, and danaids.

Drakensberg

The Drakensberg range (up to 3,482 m) is home to mountain endemics of South Africa. Unique high-mountain nymphalids and blues fly on alpine meadows.