Common Wanderer butterfly

Afrikaans name: Swartbont-rooitjie

isiZulu name: Uzulane Omnyama

isiXhosa name: UZulayo oNtsundu

Photo © Steven Herbert

Bematistes aganice aganice

The Common Wanderer is found from South Africa through to Ethiopia and Sudan. There are 6 sub-species of this butterfly - in South Africa we find Bematistes aganice aganice. Another name for this species is Dark Wanderer.

In South Africa it is found along the eastern regions of the country from East London to southern Kruger National Park.

It is a large butterfly with females having a wingspan of up to 7.5 cm. Males are smaller with a wingspan of around 6 cm. The caterpillar of this species is a strange sight. It is yellowish-green with brown blotches. It is covered in long "stalks" which in turn have minute hairs coming off them.

The Common Wanderer may be seen at any time of the year but it is most common in summer. They tend to be found in wetter forests.

References and further reading

What s That Butterfly - Author: Steve Woodhall - Published: 2008 - Page: 534

What s That Butterfly - Author: Steve Woodhall - Published: 2008 - Page: 569

Ivor Migdoll s Field Guide to the Butterflies of Southern Africa - Author: Ivor Migdoll - Published: 1987 - Page: 151

Butterflies of the Kruger National Park - Author: Johan Kloppers and the late Dr. G. Van Son - Published: 1978 - Page: 61

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

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

Gardening for Butterflies - Author: Steve Woodhall & Lindsay Gray - Published: 2015 - Page: 89

Butterflies of Southern Africa - A field guide - Author: Mark Williams - Published: 1994 - Page: 113

For more info: De Wets Wild

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