The Squinting Bush Brown Butterfly (Bicyclus anynana) is a common and widespread small insect in the Nymphadlidae family of butterflies.

The Squinting Bush Brown has dirt-brown wings with spots. When it rains, it has a large eye-spot on its wings, and when the weather is dry, it has a duller colour with small spots. It has short front legs.

Squinting Bush Brown

It measures 3-4 centimetres (1-1.5 inches).

The Squinting Bush Brown is native to eastern Africa, in countries from Ethiopia to South Africa. It prefers woodlands. It flies close to the ground.

Males like mud-puddling, which involves feeding in a group on wet soil, mud, and animal manure.

Caterpillars (the larvae stage) feed on grass and plants. Adult butterflies feed on nectar from plants, or from mud and manure.

When it is courting, scientists think that females choose a male based on its eye-spot. This is called stabilizing selection. Females are not keen on males with eye-spots that are too large or too small.

The lifespan of the Squinting Bush Brown is about 6 months.

Squinting Bush Brown

Photographer: Martina Nicolls

Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM