Bicyclus safitza

Bicyclus safitza, the common bush brown or common savanna bush brown, is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found in all of Africa south of the Sahara. Its preferred habitat is forests and other well-wooded habitats.[1]

Bicyclus safitza
Wet-season form, f. injusta
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Nymphalidae
Tribe:	Elymniini
Genus:	Bicyclus
Species:	B. safitza
Binomial name
Bicyclus safitza (Westwood, [1850])
Synonyms
Mycalesis safitza Westwood, [1850] Papilio delila Fabricius, 1793 Mycalesis eusirus Hopffer, 1855 Mycalesis evenus Hopffer, 1855 Mycalesis injusta Wallengren, 1857 Mycalesis caffra Wallengren, 1857 Mycalesis safitza ab. semicoeca Strand, 1910 Mycalesis aethiops f. velutina Ungemach, 1932

The wingspan is 40–45 mm for males and 43–48 mm for females. Adults are on wing year round.[2]

The larvae feed on various grasses, including Ehrharta erecta.[3]

Subspecies and forms

• B. s. safitza – south of Sahara except Ethiopia

wet-season form, f. safitza – south to Mpumalanga, South Africa

wet-season form, f. injusta – South African east coast regions

dry-season form, f. evenus – widespread

• B. s. aethiops (Rothschild & Jordan, 1905) – Ethiopia

Dry-season form, f. evenus, lacking clear ocelli on the hindwing

References

1. Picker, Mike; Griffiths, Charles; Weaving, Alan (2004). Field Guide to Insects of South Africa. Wembley Square, First Floor, Solan Road, Gardens, Cape Town, South Africa: Struik Nature. pp. 374. ISBN 978-1-77007-061-5.
2. Woodhall, Steve (2005). Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa. Cape Town, South Africa: Struik. ISBN 978-1-86872-724-7.
3. Bicyclus at Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and Some Other Life Forms