| Clouded forester | |
|---|---|
 | |
| A male of the summer form | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Hesperiidae |
| Genus: | Tagiades |
| Species: | T. flesus |
| Binomial name | |
| Tagiades flesus | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Tagiades flesus, the clouded flat, clouded forester or clouded skipper, is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae from southern Africa.
The wingspan is 35–47 mm for males and 43–49 mm for females. The upper surface of the wings is brownish with translucent spots near the apex of the forewings. These spots are larger in the female than in the male. [3] The undersurface of the hindwings is white with a semicircle of irregular black spots. The winter form is lighter in colour than the summer form. [3]
This species is found in forest areas from the Eastern Cape of South Africa, [3] through Eswatini and to the border of Zimbabwe. [3]
Single eggs are laid on the shoots of the food plants. [4]
The larvae feed on Dioscorea species (including D. malifolia ) and Grewia species. The larva makes a shelter by cutting part way through a leaf from its edge and folding it over, or by sticking two leaves together with silk. [4]
The pupa is formed within the leaf shelter and is light brown in colour. [4]
Adults are on wing year-round; in warmer areas with peaks in late summer and autumn. [5] The males select territories and fly rapidly, with the white underside of the wings "flashing". [3] The females fly randomly throughout the forest. [3] The adults feed from flowers, [3] including those of Deinbollia oblongifolia and Tabernaemontana ventricosa . [6] These butterflies usually sit with the wings open.
Tagiades japetus, commonly known as the pied flat or the common snow flat, is a species of spread-winged skipper butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae. It is widely distributed, being found from India, the Himalayas, Southeast Asia, to Australia. It contains several recognized subspecies.
Coeliades pisistratus, the two-pip policeman, is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae that occurs commonly in much of sub-Saharan Africa.
Sarangesa motozi, also known as the forest elfin or elfin skipper, is a species of butterfly in the family Hesperiidae. It is native to southern and eastern Africa.
Platylesches galesa, the white-tail hopper or black hopper, is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae. It is found in Transvaal, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. It is common in forest and woodland.
Platylesches neba, the flower-girl hopper, is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae. It is found in Zululand, Transvaal, Zimbabwe and south-western Africa. The habitat consists of moist and dry savanna.
Sevenia boisduvali, the Boisduval's tree nymph, is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. There are four subspecies; all native to Africa.
Platylesches robustus, the robust hopper or large hopper, is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae. It is found in Zululand, Eswatini, Transvaal, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. The habitat consists of moist, frost-free savanna and the transitional zone between forest and Guinea savanna.
Platylesches picanini, the banded hopper, is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae. It is found in Senegal, Gambia, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, south-western Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, northern Zambia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and South Africa. The habitat consists of forests, riparian vegetation along river courses, woodland, dry forests and Guinea savanna.
Acraea natalica, the Natal acraea, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae, which is native to East and southern Africa.
Acraea caldarena, the black tip acraea or black-tipped acraea, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found in southern and southeastern Africa.
Acraea oncaea, the window acraea, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found in KwaZulu-Natal, Transvaal, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, from eastern Africa to Abyssinia and in Congo.
Acraea anemosa, the broad-bordered acraea, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae which is native to southern Africa and coastal East Africa.
Acraea violarum, the speckled red acraea, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae which is native to southern Africa.
Colotis evenina, the common orange tip, is a butterfly of the family Pieridae. It is found in the Afrotropical realm.
Colotis agoye, the speckled sulphur tip, is a butterfly of the family Pieridae. It is found in the Afrotropical realm.
Protogoniomorpha anacardii, the clouded mother-of-pearl, is a species of Nymphalidae butterfly found in tropical Africa, and in Arabia
Harpendyreus notoba, the salvia blue, is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae. It is found in South Africa, from the northern East Cape, through the southern part of the Orange Free State to southern Gauteng the southern North West Province. It is also present in the North Cape.
Protogoniomorpha parhassus, the forest mother-of-pearl or common mother-of-pearl, is a species of Nymphalidae butterfly found in forested areas of Africa.
Pseudacraea eurytus, the false wanderer, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found in Africa.
Eurytela dryope, the golden piper, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae, found in Sub-Saharan Africa, the Arabian peninsula and Madagascar.
