Dusky Acraea (Hyalites esebria)

Family Nymphalidae Heliconiinae

 They have a wingspan of 45-55mm and are only found in the eastern regions and along the coast up to PE.

African Wild Cat (Felis lybica griselda)

These stunning pictures were donated to my website by Andrea Meggiorin of Sidecar. Please visit his website for more fantastic pictures of his trip to Southern Africa. Both he and his wife Roberta are brilliant photographers and visit here every year. I am looking forward to seeing you both again in August my dear friends.

 Here is an interest extract from Mammals of the Southern African Subregion (Reay H.N. Smithers):


“When Linnaeus, in 1758, published his monumental work, the Systema Naturae, in which he arranged all the known mammals into a system to show their relationship to one another, he recognised that there were many common characteristics between cats and leopards, yet there wer e other obvious differences by which they were clearly separable. He created the genus Felis to accommodate both, separating them by the use of different specific names. Felis catus for the cat and Felis pardus for the leopard. He based his idea of the cat on a domestic cat from the town of Upsala, Sweden, described it and called it Felis catus. He probably never saw a European wild cat. Felis silvestris, or an African wild cat Felis lybica, as the former was described until some 19 years later by Schreber (1777) and the latter 22 years later by Forster (1780). As the European domestic cat most certainly had their origin from Felis lybica, which the Egyptians had domesticated from at least 3000 B.C., Linnaeus’ type was almost certainly a domestic strain descended from the African Wild Cat.”

 They are found throughout most of Africa in all kinds of habitats.


In areas where there are domestic cat, the Wild Cat will interbreed freely with them.

Wild Cats are very territorial and both male and female will mark its boundaries by urination.

Will lay in bushes or holes during the day and come out in the late afternoons and night to hunt.

Food consists mostly of rats and mice but included in their diet are also Solifgae (Sun spiders, Romans) insects, birds, reptiles, frogs and small mammals such as rabbits.

They are solitary except when mating.

Info: Mammals of the Southern African Subregion (Reay H.N. Smithers)

Peaceful Giant Ground Beetle (Tefflus)

Family Carabidae

Extremely large beetle of nearly 5cm in body length.

 They are found during the day hunting for insects.

 Found in the northern and north eastern regions.

Info: Field Guide to Insects of South Africa

Common Mother of Pearl (Salamis parhassus)

Family Nymphalidae Nymphalinae

 These are large butterflies with the males having a wingspan of 7cm and the females 8cm.

 They are found in the north west and north west regions, along the east coast into the PE area.

 They are seen all through the year.

Info: Field Guide to Insects of South Africa

Mountain zebra

They differ from the Burchel’s Zebra in that their stripes do not go under their stomachs, they have a dewlap, their faces have a brown colouration, the stripes on the body are closer together, no shadow stripes on the rump, tips of ears are rounded and they are found only in the Cape area.

 In the early 1930’s only 11 stallions and 7 mares remained and they were moved to a special reserve in order to preserve the species. By 1980, the herd had grown to 215 animals and has vastly increased since then with some being trans-located to other reserves.

 Where they occur, they are found in large groups and are active mainly during the early morning and late afternoons, resting up during the day. These groups are made of a few stallions with their mares.

 They are mainly grass grazers but will eat leaves when food is short, especially in the winter.

Females produce their first foal at about 5 years of age after a gestation period on 1 year.

Info: Mammals of the Southern African Subregion (Reay H.N. Smithers)

Large Black Nest Chafer (Diplognatha gagates)

Family Scarabeaidae

Large beetles with a body length of 22-32mm.

 Larvae develop in roof thatching, large birds nests and compost heaps.


Adults feed on green vegetation, fruits and sap, larvae on bird droppings.

Info: Field Guide to Insects of South Africa

Tawny Eagle

Family Accipitridae

They are large with a body length of about 65-72 cm.

They have a great colour variation depending on their age and moult up to 7 times before adulthood.

 A common eagle in its region which extends over most of South Africa except for the central and Cape and western Cape areas.


Usually solitary, they are sometimes seen together with others.

 Food consist of mainly small mammals but they will eat off carrion and rob other birds of their food. Included are also reptiles, frogs, fish and insects.

The females usually lays two eggs which both parents feed during their 11-12 week nestling stage.

 There I go again trying to take pictures of birds in flight when I know I don't have the right lens!! :) One of these days I might just even get it right. LOL!!

Info: Robert’s Birds of Southern Africa

Dung Beetle (Proagoderus aureiceps)

Family Scarabaeidae 

 These are small beetles and one of the more colourful species of Dung Beetles having a beautiful metallic sheen when seen in sunlight.

Pied Magpie (Rhodophthitus commaculata)

Family Geometridae

It is a medium size moth with a wingspan about 40mm.

 The pattern on the wings in conjunction with their orange bodies make them unmistakable to identify.

 They are found in subtropical forests as well as bushveld in the northern part of SA.

Info: Field Guide to Insects of South Africa

Bush Grasshopper (Thericles)

Family Thericleidae

These are about the oddest looking grasshoppers I have come across.

Normally an up-turned body like this indicates a very young one but in this species, it is normal.

 They are small with a body length of 10mm in males.


They are found on shrubs in grassland and bushveld of the north eastern regions.

Info: Field Guide to Insects of South Africa