Garden Acraea

Afrikaans name: Tuinrooitjie

isiZulu name: I-Akhriya Yasengadini

isiXhosa name: IAkhriya yaseGadini

Photo © Steven Herbert

Acraea horta

The Garden Acraea is a butterfly that is found in South Africa and Zimbabwe. Although in some areas they can be found all year round they are most abundant during spring and summer.

Females have a wingspan of just over 5 cm and are a bit bigger than males. The male is reddish in colour while females are a pale brown.

The Garden Acraea lays batches of eggs on their host plant which is most often the Wild Peach. The caterpillars are dark brown and cream in colour. Thick spines, that are covered in bristles, are found at regular intervals along its body.

These butterflies are found in woodlands, parks and gardens.

References and further reading

Wild About Johannesburg - Author: Duncan Butchart - Published: 1995 - Page: 85

Wildlife of the Cape Peninsula - Author: Duncan Butchart - Published: 2001 - Page: 96

What s That Butterfly - Author: Steve Woodhall - Published: 2008 - Page: 563

The Sandton Field Guide - Author: Sandton Nature Conservation Society - Published: 1982 - Page: 170

Southern African Wildlife - Author: Reader s Digest - Published: 1989 - Page: 346

Sasol First Field Guide to Butterflies & Moths of Southern Africa - Author: Simon van Noort - Published: 0 - Page: 16

Pollinators, Predators and Parasites - Author: C. Scholtz, J. Scholtz, H. De Klerk - Published: 2021 - Page: 372

Pollinators, Predators and Parasites - Author: C. Scholtz, J. Scholtz, H. De Klerk - Published: 2021 - Page: 293

Pocket Guide - Insects of South Africa - Author: Mike Picker & Charles Griffiths - Published: 2015 - Page: 124

Ivor Migdoll s Field Guide to the Butterflies of Southern Africa - Author: Ivor Migdoll - Published: 1987 - Page: 152

Illustrated Guide to the Game Parks and Nature Reserves of SA - 2nd edn - Author: Reader s Digest - Published: 1991 - Page: 399

Gardening for Butterflies - Author: Steve Woodhall & Lindsay Gray - Published: 2015 - Page: 36

Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa - 2nd edition - Author: Steve Woodhall - Published: 2020 - Page: 88

Field Guide to Insects of South Africa - Author: Mike Picker, Charles Griffiths and Alan Weaving - Published: 0 - Page: 372

Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa - 1st edition - Author: Steve Woodhall - Published: 2005 - Page: 80

Butterfly Gardening in South Africa - Author: Jill Reid - Published: 2000 - Page: 80

Familiar South African Butterflies - Author: Clive Quickelberge - Published: 1986 - Page: 20

Butterflies of the Western Cape - Author: A.J.M. Claassens - Published: 2005 - Page: 28

Butterfly Gardening in South Africa - Author: Jill Reid - Published: 2000 - Page: 50

Butterflies of Southern Africa - Author: Hugo Germishuys - Published: 1982 - Page: 44

Butterflies of Southern Africa - A field guide - Author: Mark Williams - Published: 1994 - Page: 114

For more info: De Wets Wild

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