Blood-red Acraea
Common NameBlood-red Acraea
Scientific NameAcraea horta
FamilyNymphalidae
SubfamilyAcraeinae
Wingspan (mm)45
Wing Patternspotted
Primary Colorsorange, black
HabitatGardens, urban areas, open woodlands, fynbos, coastal scrub
Geographic RangeSouthern Africa (South Africa, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Zimbabwe)
Host PlantsKiggelaria africana, Passiflora spp.
Flight PeriodAll year round (more common in summer)
Flight Stylefluttering
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Lifecycle NotesEggs are laid in clusters on host plants. Larvae are spiny, black with yellow stripes, and gregarious in early instars, feeding on leaves. Pupae are pale with black markings.
Identification TipsLook for its distinctive translucent orange-red wings with numerous black spots and broad black borders. The underside is similar but typically paler.
Description
This butterfly features translucent, blood-red to orange wings heavily marked with irregular black spots and broad black margins. Its body is slender and black.
