Zophopetes dysmephila
Encyclopedia
The Palm-tree Night-fighter (Moltena fiara) is a butterfly
of the Hesperiidae family. It is found in Mozambique
, from Port Elizabeth to KwaZulu-Natal
and Transvaal
and in Kenya
.
The wingspan
is 40–49 mm for males and 45–52 mm for females. Adults are on wing year round with a peak from November to May in southern Africa.
The larvae feed on Chrysalidocarpus lutescens, Phoenix reclinata
, Phoenix dactylifera, Phoenix canariensis, Raphia, Borassus
and Cocos
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 Hesperiidae family. It is found in Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
, from Port Elizabeth to KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....
and Transvaal
Transvaal Province
Transvaal Province was a province of the Union of South Africa from 1910 to 1961, and of its successor, the Republic of South Africa, from 1961 until the end of apartheid in 1994 when a new constitution subdivided it.-History:...
and in 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...
.
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 40–49 mm for males and 45–52 mm for females. Adults are on wing year round with a peak from November to May in southern Africa.
The larvae feed on Chrysalidocarpus lutescens, Phoenix reclinata
Phoenix reclinata
Phoenix reclinata or Senegal Date Palm is a species of flowering plant in the palm family native to tropical Africa, Madagascar, and the Comoro Islands. The plants are found from sea level to 3000 m, in rain forest clearings, monsoonal forests and rocky mountainsides.-Description:P...
, Phoenix dactylifera, Phoenix canariensis, Raphia, Borassus
Borassus
Borassus is a genus of six species of fan palms, native to tropical regions of Africa, Asia and New Guinea. They are tall palms, capable of growing up to 30 m high. The leaves are long, fan-shaped, 2 to 3 m in length...
and Cocos
Cocos
Cocos may refer to:* Cocos , a plant genus with the coconut as its only accepted species* Cocos Lagoon, south of Guam* Cocos Malays, an ethnic group inhabiting the Cocos Islands* Cocos Plate, a tectonic plate beneath the Pacific Ocean...
species.