www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Hi

Can anyone out there help me with the identification of these 4? They were all taken around the Lake Baringo area of Kenya and whereas my travelling companions were excellent on mammals and birds, no-one knew any of the many butterfly species. I've trawled around the Web with no success.

Thanks to anyone who can help.

Hi there,

The following should get you to genus level, based on the books I have:

1. Definitely a Lycaenid, similar to Orachrysops lacrimosa but probably not this species.

2. Probably a Colitis species (see Colotis euippe omphale - http://www.insectdesigns.com/images/pap ... eomphm.jpg)

3. Plain Tiger, Danaus chrysippus f. dorippus (not that this is *not* the normal form!).

4. Yellow Pansy, Precis cebrene [a.k.a. Junonia hierta cebrene] (see http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=5766893 and http://www.darwingambia.gm/nymphalids.htm) seems close.

Cheers,

- Pete

Thanks very much for this. This was my first visit to Africa and what struck me was that while birds and mammals seemed very happy and obliging to pose for photographs, the butterflies seemed a lot less willing to rest for a moment than at home. Also the number of Orange Tip lookalikes in the Masai Mara!

I had the good fortune to be in Kenya/Tanzania over last Christmas, and the only decent butterfly pictures I got were the Yellow Pansy (a bit tatty though) and the Plain Tiger.
There were plenty of others about, even a few Swallowtails, but very skittish.

Roger Harding