As its name suggests, the Northern Orange-banded Protea feeds on protea buds.
Northern Orange-banded Protea (upperside) (Photograph: Justin Bode)
Capys Alpheus extentsus, the Northern Orange-banded Protea orVerdwaalde Oranjeband Suikerbossie. is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. The Capys (Protea butterflies) genus is purely Afrotropical and consists of 22 species.
The Northern Orange-banded Protea is one of the larger Lycaenids, with males measuring 31mm to 40mm and the females 32mm to 47mm.
The species is distributed from the Amatolas in the Eastern Cape along mountains through the eastern Free State, KwaZulu- Natal Drakensberg, Swaziland, Mpumalanga and Limpopo Province.
Northern Orange-banded Protea (underside) (Photograph: Justin Bode)
There are two main broods from August to November and February to April. The males fly rapidly in the vicinity of proteas and perch on rocks or low vegetation where they defend their territories. When they perch, their wings are usually closed. The females are less often seen and are most often encountered around proteas while they are seeking buds to lay their eggs on.
The caterpillars feed on the flower buds on various species of Proteas, where they bore into the sides of the buds and eat the immature seeds in the ovary. As they grow, they become grub-like and eventually enlarge a hole at the base of the bud. The pupae is formed in the bud and when the adult emerges they exit through this hole.
On Verloren Valei, these butterflies would be most likely to be spotted close to the proteas near the waterfall on the southern boundary, with midday being the most likely time.
Distribution map of Northern Orange-banded Protea in South Africa
Sources
MC Williams, Afrotropical Butterflies, www.metamorphosis.org.za, July 2024.
S Woodhall, Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa. Struik, Cape Town, 2020
