Lunate ladybirds and blister beetles

This morning on the Common I spotted this Lunate Ladybird (Cheilomenes lunata) sweeping a daisy bush for aphids. (Other beetles you might find on the Common.)

There were also several Spotted Blister Beetles (Ceroctis capensis) on the Fonteinbos or Bloukeur bushes (Psoralea pinnata). These beetles belong to the family Meloidae many of which secrete a poison, cantharadin, which may blister human skin, and if eaten, prove fatal!

Cape Autumn Widow

Flying around the Common now are lots of pretty brown butterflies. These are Cape Autumn Widows (Dira clytus) that are related to the Table Mountain Beauty. They are known as browns and belong to the family Nymphalidae and subfamily Satyrinae. The underside of the wing in most browns is cryptically coloured and eyespots are common. Foodplants are grasses and sedges.
Cape Autumn Widow butterflies fly slowly just above grass, often settling on bare patches of ground. The females scatter eggs in flight. The larvae are well camouflaged and feed on various grasses. Their preferred habitat is grassy areas on mountain slopes and lower ground.
Information from Field guide to insects of South Africa by Mike Picker, Charles Griffiths and Alan Weaving, Struik.