Metisella malgacha

Grassveld sylph
M. malgacha ssp. malgacha
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Hesperiidae
Genus:	Metisella
Species:	M. malgacha
Binomial name
Metisella malgacha (Boisduval, 1833) [1]
Synonyms
Steropes malgachaBoisduval, 1833 Cyclopides malgacha

Metisella malgacha, the grassveld sylph, is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae. It is found in the Cape, Free State, Lesotho, Transvaal, and KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. The habitat consists of grassland and grassy areas in the fynbos and Karoo. ^[2]

The wingspan is 25–29 mm for males and 27–31 mm for females. ^[3]

Flight period is between August and May with several broods possible or December to January at highest elevations. ^[3]

The larvae feed on Ehrharta erecta .

Subspecies

• Metisella malgacha malgacha (South Africa: Mpumalanga, North West Province, Gauteng, Free State Province, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape Province, Western Cape Province, Northern Cape Province)
• Metisella malgacha orinaVári, 1976 (Lesotho, South Africa: Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal – Drakensberg)

References

1. Metisella at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms
2. "Afrotropical Butterflies: Hesperiidae - Subfamily Heteropterinae". Archived from the original on 2014-08-19. Retrieved 2012-11-07.
3. Woodhall, Steve (2005). Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa. Cape Town, South Africa: Struik. ISBN   978-1-86872-724-7.