The Long-winged Orange Telchinia

Another member of the brush-footed butterfly tribe occurs at Verloren Valei.

By Justin Bode

Long-Winged Orange Telchinia (underside) (Photograph: © Justin Bode)

Telchinia alalonga, Long-winged Orange Telchinia or Long-winged Maber, Langvlerk rooitjie is a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae, the so-called “brush-footed butterflies”. The name derives from the fact that the adults’ front pair of legs are small brush-like sensory organs, giving them the appearance of having only four legs and not six.

This is a brightly coloured medium-sized butterfly, measuring 54mm to 74mm. Males have a strong, direct flight. They exhibit patrolling behaviour, covering an area about the size of a rugby field. They settle infrequently, resting by gliding when on the wing. By contrast, females appear to fly randomly.

Both sexes feed from flowers. Their larvae have been recorded feeding on Aeschynomene.

This species favours montane grasslands from the Kwa-Zulu-Natal Drakensberg into Mpumalanga and Limpopo, where they can be found in grassy gullies and hillsides. The best spot to find them at Verloren Vallei is in the grassland along the Lunsklip River just past the reception.

The Long-winged Telchinia has two broods from November to January and March to May, with the peak emergence being in December and April respectively.

Learn more about other members of the brush-footed butterfly group found at Verloren Valei:

The mysterious Dancing Amber

This “painted lady” gets around

Common—but oh so beautiful