A butterfly of the family Nymphalidae, subfamily Charaxinae, described by Steve Woodhall in his Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa as robust, showy, fast-flying butterflies with highly territorial males that defend their patch of canopy. Favourite foods? Tree sap, rotten fruit and dung. And they can push other butterflies off the bounty.
The Green-veined Emperor’s larval food includes Croton sylvaticus, one of the tree species we plant at Ferncliffe (see Plant a Tree in the Support section).