Anthene talboti
Encyclopedia
Talbot's Hairtail or Talbot's Ciliate Blue (Anthene talboti) is a butterfly
of the Lycaenidae
family. It is found from South Africa
to Zimbabwe
, Kenya
, Uganda
and Tanzania
. In South Africa it is found in the KwaZulu-Natal midlands, through to Orange Free State, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, the Limpopo Province and the North West Province. It is also present in the North Cape.
The wingspan
is 20-24 mm for males and 22-25 mm for females. Adults are on wing from September to June, with peaks in November and from March to April.
The larvae feed on Acacia
species, including Acacia karroo
and Acacia tortilis
.
Butterfly
A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...
of the Lycaenidae
Lycaenidae
The Lycaenidae are the second-largest family of butterflies, with about 6000 species worldwide, whose members are also called gossamer-winged butterflies...
family. It is found from South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
to Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
, Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
, Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
and Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
. In South Africa it is found in the KwaZulu-Natal midlands, through to Orange Free State, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, the Limpopo Province and the North West Province. It is also present in the North Cape.
The wingspan
Wingspan
The wingspan of an airplane or a bird, is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777 has a wingspan of about ; and a Wandering Albatross caught in 1965 had a wingspan of , the official record for a living bird.The term wingspan, more technically extent, is...
is 20-24 mm for males and 22-25 mm for females. Adults are on wing from September to June, with peaks in November and from March to April.
The larvae feed on Acacia
Acacia
Acacia is a genus of shrubs and trees belonging to the subfamily Mimosoideae of the family Fabaceae, first described in Africa by the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus in 1773. Many non-Australian species tend to be thorny, whereas the majority of Australian acacias are not...
species, including Acacia karroo
Acacia karroo
Acacia karroo also known as the Sweet Thorn, is a species of Acacia, native to southern Africa from southern Angola east to Mozambique, and south to South Africa....
and Acacia tortilis
Acacia tortilis
Acacia tortilis, the Umbrella Thorn Acacia, also known as Umbrella Thorn and Israeli Babool, is a medium to large canopied tree native primarily to the savanna and Sahel of Africa , but also occurring in the Middle East....
.