Clouded Flat butterfly

Afrikaans name: Skaduwee-dartelaartjie

isiZulu name: Usicaba Onamafu

isiXhosa name: UMaphik'aMcaba aMabalabala

Photo © Steven Herbert

Tagiades flesus

This butterfly goes by a couple of different names. The current official name is the Clouded Flat but it is also called the Clouded Skipper or Clouded Forester.

It is a medium-sized butterfly with a wingspan of around 4 to 4.5 cm. Females are bigger than males.

The Clouded Flat is found up the eastern regions of South Africa from the Eastern Cape through KweZulu-Natal.

They are found where there is plenty of vegetation such as coastal forest, riverine forest, woodland and Afromontane forest. In some areas they may be found in parks and gardens if there is sufficient vegetation.

The female Clouded Flat lays one egg on each leaf. The egg is hairy. The caterpillars are smooth and are purplish-brown in colour.

References and further reading

Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa - 2nd edition - Author: Steve Woodhall - Published: 2020 - Page: 384

Gardening for Butterflies - Author: Steve Woodhall & Lindsay Gray - Published: 2015 - Page: 101

Living Butterflies of Southern Africa - Volume 1 - Author: G.A. Henning et al - Published: 1997 - Page: 64

Ivor Migdoll s Field Guide to the Butterflies of Southern Africa - Author: Ivor Migdoll - Published: 1987 - Page: 240

Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa - 1st edition - Author: Steve Woodhall - Published: 2005 - Page: 362

Butterflies of Southern Africa - A field guide - Author: Mark Williams - Published: 1994 - Page: 239

Butterflies of the Kruger National Park - Author: Johan Kloppers and the late Dr. G. Van Son - Published: 1978 - Page: 85

Familiar South African Butterflies - Author: Clive Quickelberge - Published: 1986 - Page: 54

For more info: Wikipedia

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