Gonimbrasia belina is a species of butterfly found in almost all the south of Africa, from which the grosses caterpillar S, the mopani or towards mopane , edible, are an important source of Protéine S for million South-Africans.

Vernacular names

The worms mopane are called in this way owing to the fact that they are found commonly on the tree called Mopane, Colophospermum mopane .

The caterpillar can be known still under other vernacular names:

• With the Botswana
• in Setswana: phane
• in South Africa
• in Sepedi: masonja (familiar)
• in Tshivenda: mashonzha
• in Zambia
• muyaya (it is thought that applies to the worm mopane)
• with the Zimbabwe
• in Ndebele: macimbi
• in Shona: madora

The worm mopane rather receives sometimes another Latin name which is Imbrasia belina , than Gonimbrasia belina .

Life cycle

Like the majority of the caterpillars, the life cycle of the worm of the mopane begins when it leaves its egg during the summer, after which, it starts to eat the foliage in its immediate environment. Whereas the larva grows bigger, it must moult four times to reach its five larval stages. If the larva is not collected at this time, it is inserted under ground for nymphoser. At this stage, it undergoes a complete transformation to become an adult butterfly. This stage proceeds during the winter, over one duration from 6 to 7 months, so that the emergence of the adult occurs at the beginning of the summer (November or December).

The adult butterflies live only 3 or four days, period during which, they try to reproduce and to lay their eggs.

Enemies

Food mode of the worm mopane

The worm mopane as a source of food

Conservation

Accommodation

Agriculture and local economy

The harvest and the sale of the worms mopane are an industry of several million Rand in the south of Africa. The principal producers are the Botswana, the Namibia, the South Africa (Province of the Limpopo and the Mpumalanga) and the Zimbabwe.

Collect

August 1st

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