The 1883 discovery, research into generic life histories and taxonomic investigations into the aphytophagous butterfly Thestor brachycerus brachycerus (the Knysna Skolly) from Knysna, South Africa are described. Its slide towards extinction through loss and degradation of habitat in the late 20th century left only one known colony by 2009 leading to it being assessed as Critically Endangered in the 2013 South African Red List and Atlas. During searches for more populations in 2011, a second T. b. brachycerus colony was found which differed markedly with respect to aspect, altitude and vegetation. Study areas were defined around the original colony on the Pezula Golf Estate (Pezula) and the newly discovered coastal colony east of Coney Glen (Coastal site). An assessment is made of the ecological differences and similarities between the two sites. The extent and size of the two known populations was measured; the Extent of Occupancy was found to be 7.5 km2 and the Area of Occupancy as 1.05 x 10-3 km2. During observations over 5 seasons in December and January 2009 – 2014 the average number of butterflies observed at the original Pezula colony varied from 1 – 8 males and 0 – 3 females per survey, compared with 1 – 6 males and 1 – 3 females observed over 3 seasons from 2011 to 2014 at the Coastal colony. The mating, territoriality, oviposition and predation avoidance behaviour of the adult T. b. brachycerus butterflies was studied by direct observation. Males were found to exhibit territorial behaviour, spending long periods of time perched in one spot, particularly in areas where the vegetation was open or low. Oviposition was rapid and no preference was shown by females for any particular plant. Between the two colonies, oviposition was observed on a total of 16 different plants. The vegetation composition at the two study sites was analysed using Braun–Blanquet methodology. Only one plant, Tarchonanthus littoralis, was found to be common to both. There appeared to be no correlation between floristic composition and the occurrence of T. b. brachycerus. All the Thestor species so far studied by other workers have been found to be myrmecophilous, having an association with the pugnacious ant Anoplolepis custodiens. Ant communities were sampled by employing pitfall traps and direct sampling by hand. At both the Pezula and Coastal sites A. custodiens was the most ubiquitous ant species. The insights gained have enabled implementation of a habitat management plan. Experimental management methods are recommended at the Pezula site which include small scale burning and selective cutting of vegetation. Search for more colonies is ongoing, using the improved ecological knowledge of the butterfly. / MSc (Environmental Sciences), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

The 1883 discovery, research into generic life histories and taxonomic investigations into the aphytophagous butterfly Thestor brachycerus brachycerus (the Knysna Skolly) from Knysna, South Africa are described. Its slide towards extinction through loss and degradation of habitat in the late 20th century left only one known colony by 2009 leading to it being assessed as Critically Endangered in the 2013 South African Red List and Atlas. During searches for more populations in 2011, a second T. b. brachycerus colony was found which differed markedly with respect to aspect, altitude and vegetation. Study areas were defined around the original colony on the Pezula Golf Estate (Pezula) and the newly discovered coastal colony east of Coney Glen (Coastal site). An assessment is made of the ecological differences and similarities between the two sites. The extent and size of the two known populations was measured; the Extent of Occupancy was found to be 7.5 km2 and the Area of Occupancy as 1.05 x 10-3 km2. During observations over 5 seasons in December and January 2009 – 2014 the average number of butterflies observed at the original Pezula colony varied from 1 – 8 males and 0 – 3 females per survey, compared with 1 – 6 males and 1 – 3 females observed over 3 seasons from 2011 to 2014 at the Coastal colony. The mating, territoriality, oviposition and predation avoidance behaviour of the adult T. b. brachycerus butterflies was studied by direct observation. Males were found to exhibit territorial behaviour, spending long periods of time perched in one spot, particularly in areas where the vegetation was open or low. Oviposition was rapid and no preference was shown by females for any particular plant. Between the two colonies, oviposition was observed on a total of 16 different plants. The vegetation composition at the two study sites was analysed using Braun–Blanquet methodology. Only one plant, Tarchonanthus littoralis, was found to be common to both. There appeared to be no correlation between floristic composition and the occurrence of T. b. brachycerus. All the Thestor species so far studied by other workers have been found to be myrmecophilous, having an association with the pugnacious ant Anoplolepis custodiens. Ant communities were sampled by employing pitfall traps and direct sampling by hand. At both the Pezula and Coastal sites A. custodiens was the most ubiquitous ant species. The insights gained have enabled implementation of a habitat management plan. Experimental management methods are recommended at the Pezula site which include small scale burning and selective cutting of vegetation. Search for more colonies is ongoing, using the improved ecological knowledge of the butterfly. / MSc (Environmental Sciences), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Contributing to the butterflies diversity knowledge from Estacional Decidual Forest of Rio Grande do Sul State, a systematic survey was carried out in two localities of the Municipal District of Frederico Westphalen: Villa Faguense Municipal Park and Schöenstatt Sanctuary, from March 2005 to April 2006. In 140 hours of sampling, were registered 3129 individuals distributed in 174 species. Of the sampled species, 56,32% belong to the Nymphalidae family (12 subfamilies), 19,54% to Hesperiidae (2 subfamilies), 6,32% to Papilionidae (1 subfamily), 8,05% to Pieridae (3 subfamilies), 6,32% to Lycaenidae (2 subfamilies) and 3,45% to Riodinidae (1 subfamily). Ten species sampled were still no published for the State: Euptoieta hegesia (Cramer, 1779), Dynamine athemon (Linnaeus, 1758), Myscelia orsis (Drury, 1782), Pareuptychia summandosa (Gosse, 1880), Taygetis laches marginata (Staudinger, 1887), Yphthichoides castrensis (Schaus, 1902), Caligo eurilochus brasiliensis (Felder, 1826), Urbanus doryssus albicuspis (Herrich-Schaffer, 1869), Eurybia pergaea (Geyer, 1832), Lemonias zygia (Hübner, 1807). The Shannon-Wiener diversity index was higher in Villa Faguense Municipal Park, place less disturbed, and smaller in Schöenstatt Sanctuary. The Simpson and Berger-Parker dominance indexes had been more representative in Schöenstatt Sanctuary, with higher number of abundant species, and less representative in Villa Faguense Municipal Park. Among the species captured 131 (75.29%) are accidental, 25 (14.37%) are accessory and 18 (10.34%) are constant species. / Contribuindo para o levantamento sistemático e o conhecimento de borboletas da Floresta Estacional Decidual de Frederico Westphalen, foram realizadas saídas de campo mensais em duas localidades no Município, entre março de 2005 e abril de 2006. Em um total de 140 horas de amostragem, foram registrados 3129 indivíduos distribuídos em 174 espécies. Destas, 56,32% das espécies pertencem à família Nymphalidae (12 subfamílias), 19,54% Hesperiidae (2 subfamílias), 6,32% Papilionidae (1 subfamília), 8,05% Pieridae (3 subfamílias), 6,32% Lycaenidae (2 subfamílias) e 3,45% Riodinidae (1 subfamília). Foram registradas 10 espécies de borboletas ainda não publicadas para o Estado: Euptoieta hegesia (Cramer, 1779), Dynamine athemon (Linnaeus, 1758), Myscelia orsis (Drury, 1782), Pareuptychia summandosa (Gosse, 1880), Taygetis laches marginata (Staudinger, 1887), Yphthichoides castrensis (Schaus, 1902), Caligo eurilochus brasiliensis (Felder, 1826), Urbanus doryssus albicuspis (Herrich-Schaffer, 1869), Eurybia pergaea (Geyer, 1832), Lemonias zygia (Hübner, 1807). O ìndice de Diversidade de Shannon-Wiener foi maior no Parque Municipal da Vila Faguense, local menos perturbado, e menor no Santuário de Schöenstatt. Os índices de dominância de Simpson e Berger-Parker, por sua vez, foram mais representativos no Santuário de Schöenstatt, com maior número de espécies abundantes, e menos representativos no Parque Municipal da Vila Faguense. Foram registradas em Frederico Westphalen 131 (75,29%) espécies acidentais, 25 (14,37%) espécies acessórias e 18 (10,34%) espécies constantes.

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