Update: I have now taken a picture of the underside of the wings an am adding it.....
Pirates belong to the Nymphalidae family. They are of medium size and the underwing is dull brown in color.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ05Hy_9tmrBG3Dx12heVjRQMVz7R5jdqxXedexPzbC-oUIb5oGw7fxu4JFKpqn8l4AGkIEvxNhtepuhudMXBH6D6tuxqB3kcvk2TzCNkWZD_hhBXAPiqlnL22BijxY0t_VNVGJZHJYu-G/s320/IMG_17448.JPG)
They are one of the earliest butterflies to be found in spring and the males are strongly territorial.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG39yHvhR_-QVutF3-j258dBljZizaAaBE-p621PH8Ry3_qQN-_KetqVLoceOBVJ863dBzdX5S8eDXwtqNA0_pFyifLvjIuWbj-Q8vr6MogmSoJRzjnWstEYnCVzVKpgSuJhgALJB3UhzI/s320/IMG_17449a.JPG)
The blue eye-spots are very conspicuous and they can be found throughout the west cost and northern areas of South Africa.