Kloof Conservancy’s butterfly fund-raiser takes off
Help the Kloof Conservancy raise fund to reintroduce the Millar's Moth back into its natural habitat.
THE Kloof Conservancy held a successful back-to-nature butterfly day recently as a fund-raiser for the Millar’s Tiger Moth project.
The project is run by the Lepidopterist’s Society of Africa and aims to reintroduce this beautiful moth to the Kloof area, where it was last seen in the 1920s.
The event at the Nkutu Picnic Site in Krantzkloof Nature Reserve was well attended and had a great carnival theme.
The concept was developed by Kerileigh Lobban.
Back-to-Nature events are part of Kloof Conservancy’s programme to educate young children on the wonders of our local biodiversity.
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The Lepsoc (Lepidopterists’ Society of Africa) chairman for KZN, Kevin Cockburn, said, “This beautiful moth, one of the Cycad moths, uses a small grassland member of the cycad family, Stangeria eriopus, as its larval food plant. The moth was absent from its known local area for many years and was officially extinct until recently when a specimen was discovered at Entumeni in Southern Zululand.
“Since then, intensive research has been conducted by members of the Lepidopterists’ Society of Africa and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife to better understand the biology of the species.”
Its eggs are laid on the leaves of Stangeria plants and the young larvae feed on this plant.
However, older larvae apparently move to an unknown secondary food plant for a period of feeding, before they finally pupate.
“These beautiful creatures are known only from two small, fragile colonies and it is hoped that they can be relocated back to Krantzkloof to establish a second population where they were first discovered,” said Kevin.
Intensive research is being carried out to find the missing piece of this intriguing puzzle.
A successful relocation and establishment of a viable colony at Krantzkloof will greatly improve the chances of the survival of the moth.
Paolo Candotti, of the Kloof Conservancy, said, “A big thanks goes to the Ranga Media team including Dylan Deyzel, who did the media and design work and Cayla Usswald, the artist who designed and painted the amazing props for the day.”
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