Torynesis magna
Encyclopedia
The Large Widow is a butterfly
of the Nymphalidae
family. It is found in South Africa
in the eastern Cape from Lootsberg to Burgersdorp as far north as Barkly East and as far south as Uniondale.
The wingspan
is 46-54 mm for males and 50-60 mm for females. Adults are on wing from February to March. There is one generation per year
The larvae feed on various Poaceae
species, including Merxmuellera and Danthonia
species.
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 Nymphalidae
Nymphalidae
The Nymphalidae is a family of about 5,000 species of butterflies which are distributed throughout most of the world. These are usually medium sized to large butterflies. Most species have a reduced pair of forelegs and many hold their colourful wings flat when resting. They are also called...
family. It is found in 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...
in the eastern Cape from Lootsberg to Burgersdorp as far north as Barkly East and as far south as Uniondale.
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 46-54 mm for males and 50-60 mm for females. Adults are on wing from February to March. There is one generation per year
The larvae feed on various Poaceae
Poaceae
The Poaceae is a large and nearly ubiquitous family of flowering plants. Members of this family are commonly called grasses, although the term "grass" is also applied to plants that are not in the Poaceae lineage, including the rushes and sedges...
species, including Merxmuellera and Danthonia
Danthonia
Danthonia is a genus of grass species. Grasses of this genus are sometimes referred to as oatgrass, but that common name is not restricted to this genus.Species include:*Danthonia alpina Vest*Danthonia cachemyriana Jaub. & Spach...
species.