The University of Venda (UNIVEN)’s Faculty of Science, Engineering, and Agriculture continues to make its mark in biodiversity science through pioneering butterfly research presented at the 41st LepSoc Africa Conference, held on 25–26 October 2025, at the Pretoria National Botanical Garden.
Group Photo at the Botanical Garden in Pretoria
The conference, themed around advancing Lepidoptera ecology and conservation, brought together researchers, conservationists, and students from across Africa to exchange insights on the continent’s rich diversity of butterflies and moths.
Representing UNIVEN’s in full Chair in Biodiversity Value and Change, Mr Dakalo Madzivhandila and Ms Muravha Witness Mukwevho delivered impactful oral presentations showcasing the university’s growing influence in butterfly ecology and conservation science.
Mr Madzivhandila presented his MSc research titled “Monthly Monitoring of Fruit-Feeding But-terfly Communities Across Savannah–Forest Habitats: Community Composition and Insights into Common Species.” His study, is part of the Butterfly Monitoring Scheme (BMS), focusing on long-term transect surveys at Mphaphuli, Ntakeni, Lajuma, Entabeni, and Jobedi, examining how habi-tat and seasonality influence butterfly diversity. The findings are expected to inform conservation planning and ecological monitoring in the region.
Ms Mukwevho presented her Honours project, “Local Adaptation in Larval Development in the Seasonally Dimorphic Butterfly Bicyclus safitza,” which investigates how environmental condi-tions affect larval development and drive seasonal adaptation. Conducted under controlled con-ditions, her research provides insights into the physiological mechanisms underpinning species resilience and adaptation to environmental change.
BioBlitz Group photo
Beyond the academic sessions, both presenters took part in a BioBlitz field activity that fostered collaboration through real-time biodiversity recording and species identification. The hands-on engagement strengthened links between experimental research and field-based ecological prac-tice.
The conference reaffirmed LepSoc Africa’s role as a vital platform for knowledge exchange, ca-pacity building, and promoting citizen science in biodiversity monitoring. Discussions under-scored the importance of long-term ecological data and collaboration in addressing environ-mental change across southern Africa.
Looking ahead, Mr Madzivhandila will pursue a PhD in butterfly community monitoring, while Ms Mukwevho advances to Master’s research on Bicyclus safitza and Melanitis leda. Their continued work reflects UNIVEN’s growing leadership in biodiversity research under the DSI/NRF SARChI Chair in Biodiversity Value and Change.
The conference not only celebrated scientific discovery but also highlighted Africa’s united com-mitment to understanding and conserving its extraordinary butterfly diversity.
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