Every year, swarms of white butterflies descend on Johannesburg during their annual migration from South Africa’s west coast towards Mozambique. Our Nova Pioneer students were recently treated to the wonderful sight of white butterflies flying across the sky and the teachers decided to use it as a learning opportunity.  

Under the butterfly effect

All throughout the day children were excited and squealing with delight at the sight of the butterflies moving across the Johannesburg sky. They were also quite intrigued as to why there were so many. The different colours amazed the students. They enjoyed trying to catch them some were succcessful, and others not so much. 

Xâtine du Plessis Silk was excited to have caught herself a butterfly. She said, “I thought that it was so beautiful and amazing. It was such an experience I will never forget.”

Learning can happen anywhere

Teachers saw this as a great opportunity for students to take part in learning about the Butterfly Migration and the lesson was taken outside of the classroom. The teachers explained that the event was an annual one and it is commonly known as the brown-veined white butterflies. The butterflies start hatching along the entire coast from Cape Town towards Namibia, then migrate inland in a north-easterly direction, headed toward Mozambique before crossing the sea to Madagascar.

The timing of the migration is dependent on weather conditions, but usually run from late November to mid-February. The brown veined white butterflies are often joined by other butterflies of the same Pieridae family, which had shades of yellow or orange in their colouration.