Precis octavia sesamus (South Africa)

[daveuk]

All these specimens were bred in South Africa by Dr. Americo Bonkewitz on Coleus blumei (Painted nettle)

The first picture show typical male & female of summer/dry season form (pink) & winter/wet season form (blue)

The second picture shows various combinations of form transiens which have characteristics of both wet & dry season forms.

The third picture has two wet season forms with less red markings than the typical form. A grey wet season form & another form transiens.

[Yorky]

The salmon pink ones are especially nice

[daveuk]

The salmon pink ones are especially nice

I agree Dunc. The blue one is usually the one that is singled out but like you I prefer the dry season pink form.

[58chevy]

Wow, what a spectacular species! Your collection must be fabulous.

[daveuk]

Wow, what a spectacular species! Your collection must be fabulous.

Thank You. Glad you like them.

[Cabintom]

Here in Bunia, Ituri (DRC) Precis octavia is an uncommon butterfly. Specimens fitting ssp. sesamus are present here, but some specimens are transitional to the nominate ssp. which is found only a hundred or two km to the north. Curiously in my almost 10 years in Bunia, I have yet to see a dry season specimen here, though I have found the form in other localities in the province.

The blue spotting of this specimen is not typical for Bunia:



Here is the nominate ssp:



As can be seen, in the "wet season" form the nominate's black markings are more extensive. In the "dry season" form the nominate always has red markings in the FW cell (in ssp. sesamus , the cell markings are blue - though form transiens is often an exception).

[daveuk]

Interesting.Thank You for the information & the photos. I do have some specimens from Uganda in my collection. Some are still papered. Will take photos of the set/spread ones from there & post to the forum when I have taken them.

[daveuk]

These specimens were all collected in Uganda. Still P octavia sasamus in this part of its range.

[adamcotton]

I just edited "Octavia" in the subject of this thread. Sadly 'autocorrect' doesn't know that species names always start with a small letter. I recommend that people turn it off, but I suppose in most circumstances it is useful. Probably the best compromise is to have the spelling checker on, but not autocorrect.

Adam.