Find a Bug

Find a bug - No Legs (On land, in soil)

Common Name	Scientific Name	Photo	Description	Where	iNat
Typical Earthworms	Order Crassiclitellata		Seqmented worm found mostly in the soil, sometimes in water.	In or on soil, occasionally in water. Usually near entrances.	iNat: 316347097
Typical Earthworms	Order Crassiclitellata		Seqmented worm found mostly in the soil, sometimes in water.	In or on soil, occasionally in water. Usually near entrances.	iNat: 202853814
Land Planarians	Subfamily Microplaninae		Unsegmented, squishy, can expand and contract a lot.	On rock walls	iNat: 316352660
Land Planarians	Family Geoplanidae		Unsegmented, squishy, can expand and contract a lot.	On rock walls	iNat: 179216828
Tollin's Pinwheel Snail	Trachycystis tollini		A small land snail with a flat, disc-like shell endemic to southern Africa; found sheltering deep in cave passages.	Found deep in the dark zone of caves.	iNat: 204802495
Pinwheel Snail	Trachycystinae		A subfamily of tiny land snails characterised by flat, low-spired, disc-like shells; restricted to southern Africa.	Found near cave entrances.	iNat: 186056661
Dwarf Cannibal Snail	Nata vernicosa		A tiny predatory land snail that actively hunts and consumes other snails, despite its diminutive size.	Found deep in the dark zone of caves.	iNat: 216884247
Charybdis Land Snail	Cyclocystis charybdis		A South African land snail whose species name alludes to the mythological whirlpool Charybdis, referencing its tightly coiled spiral shell.	Found deep in the dark zone of caves.	iNat: 267526931
Variegated Semi-slug	Ariopelta variegata		An oopeltid semi-slug endemic to the Western Cape mountains; retains a small external shell, unlike true slugs, and shelters in damp cave entrances.	Found near cave entrances.	iNat: 220522436

Two legs (and wings)

Not bugs, but found in caves.

Common Name	Scientific Name	Photo	Description	Where	iNat
Natal Bent-wing bat	Miniopterus natalensis		Smallish bat, often roosts in large numbers.	Usually quite deep into the cave.	iNat: 204146424
Geoffrey's Horseshoe Bat	Rhinolophus clivosus		Medium sized bat, light coloured tummy, distinctive U shaped nose	Usually deep in the cave.	iNat: 37450578
Cape Horseshoe Bat	Rhinolophus capensis		Very difficult to tell apart from R.clivosus	Usually deep into the cave.	iNat: 205718765
Egyptian fruit bat	Rousettus aegyptiacus		Large bat, 150mm long. Big eyes	Usually found close to the entrance, or just into the dark.	iNat: 179213289

Four legs

Although not bugs, frogs are often either washed into caves or seek the cool damp climate of caves. Both Heleophryne species are often found climbing up nearly vertical cave walls.

Common Name	Scientific Name	Photo	Description	Where	iNat
Common name	Breviceps montanus		A small, round, fossorial rain frog.	Sometimes found in damp caves.	iNat: 179217363
Clicking Stream Frog	Strongylopus grayii		A fairly small, slender, agile ground-dwelling frog.	Sometimes found in caves.	iNat: 179217986
Cape River Frog	Amietia fuscigula		Occurs in the Eastern and Western Cape.	Sometimes washed into caves.	iNat: 179389275
Poynton's River Frog	Amietia poyntoni		A river frog found from Namibia across South Africa.	A pools in caves.	iNat: 72901244
Table Mountain Ghost Frog	Heleophryne rosei		Critically endangered, medium-sized frog endemic to South Africa. Purple or brown blotches on a pale green background	Climbing cave walls.	iNat: 179217440
Cederberg Ghost Frog	Heleophryne depressa		A light to dark olive back marked with irregular maroon blotches.	Endemic to the Cederberg mountains. Climbs cave walls.	iNat: 204147140

Six legs

Insects are the most diverse group of cave-dwelling invertebrates. Many species are accidental visitors drawn in by darkness and moisture, while others — such as the Spelaeiacris cave cricket are true cave specialists adapted to life in permanent darkness. The Diplurans at the end of the list are not true insects, but do have six legs.

Common Name	Scientific Name	Photo	Description	Where	iNat
Darkling Beetle	Eurychora		A flightless, ground-dwelling darkling beetle genus endemic to southern Africa, often found on cave floors.	Found in the transitional zone between twilight and darkness.	iNat: 313919279
Peninsula Gnashing Cricket	Henicus brevimucronatus		Playtpus king cricket in the family Aostostomatidae. Not seen often.	Found in the twilight zone of caves.	iNat: 264710555
Beetle	Coleoptera		An unidentified larvae.	Found in the transitional zone between twilight and darkness.	iNat: 258869006
Click Beetle	Elateridae		A beetle named for its ability to spring itself into the air with a loud, audible click when flipped onto its back.	Found in the twilight zone of caves.	iNat: 258675780
Earwig	Antisolabis sulcatipes		A South African earwig species, readily identified by the distinctive forceps-like cerci projecting from the tip of the abdomen.	Found in the transitional zone between twilight and darkness.	iNat: 220523023
Cave Ground Beetle	Trechini		A tribe of highly adapted ground beetles, many of which are eyeless and depigmented, specialised for permanent cave life.	Found in the transitional zone between twilight and darkness.	iNat: 220492049
Crane Fly	Tipulidae		A large, long-legged fly that resembles a giant mosquito but is harmless, sheltering near cave entrances on cool, damp rock faces.	Found near cave entrances.	iNat: 219282150
Cave Cricket	Pachyodontus languidus		A ground cricket found deep in the dark zones of South African caves, feeding on organic detritus and guano.	Found deep in the dark zone of caves.	iNat: 216880434
Carpet Beetle	Anthrenus		A small scavenging beetle whose larvae feed on organic matter such as bat guano, dead insects, and animal remains in caves.	Found deep in the dark zone of caves.	iNat: 215075709
Bark Louse	Psocodea		Tiny soft-bodied insects that feed on mould, fungi, and organic detritus, thriving in the rich substrates of cave floors.	Found deep in the dark zone of caves.	iNat: 215074798
Rove Beetle	Staphylinidae		A large family of beetles recognisable by their short wing covers, found scavenging among organic matter in cave twilight zones.	Found in the twilight zone of caves.	iNat: 208566954
Moth	Lepidoptera		An unidentified moth using the cave twilight zone for daytime shelter; many moth species roost in caves to avoid predators.	Found in the twilight zone of caves.	iNat: 205142531
Plaster Bagworm	Phereoeca		A small moth whose larvae construct distinctive flat, oval cases from fibres, dust, and debris, often plastered to cave walls.	Found deep in the dark zone of caves.	iNat: 204299976
African Bat Bug	Afrocimex		A blood-feeding ectoparasite of cave-dwelling bats, closely related to bed bugs; populations can number millions in large bat roosts.	Found deep in the dark zone of caves.	iNat: 204056789
Fishfly	Taeniochauliodes fuscus		A large, soft-bodied insect in the order Megaloptera whose aquatic larvae develop in streams; adults often rest in caves.	Found deep in the dark zone of caves.	iNat: 199026335
Ant-like Stone Beetle	Euconnus		A tiny beetle in the rove beetle family that mimics ants in appearance, found among organic litter in cave twilight zones.	Found in the twilight zone of caves.	iNat: 191401919
Snout Moth	Hypena commixtalis		A moth of the family Erebidae with a distinctive forward-projecting snout, commonly roosting in cave twilight zones during the day.	Found in the twilight zone of caves.	iNat: 190766039
True Fly	Diptera		An unidentified member of the true flies, the large order of two-winged insects found throughout cave environments.	Found deep in the dark zone of caves.	iNat: 188507545
Non-biting Midge	Chironomidae		A small, mosquito-like fly whose aquatic larvae commonly develop in the pools and slow-flowing streams of cave systems.	Found deep in the dark zone of caves.	iNat: 179389531
Table Mountain Cave Cricket	Spelaeiacris tabulae		Table Mountain Cave cricket only occurs on the Cape Peninsula. The body is approximately 10mm, while the antennae can be 40mm+.	Throught cave systems from deep dark to entrance. Also makes surface excusions at night.	iNat:264013301
Hex River Cave Cricket	Spelaeiacris monslamiensis		Hex river mountains cave cricket.	Found deep in the dark zone of caves.	iNat: 179389124
Canescent Moth	Apisa canescens		A greyish-white moth of the family Erebidae found roosting on the walls and ceilings of South African caves.	Found deep in the dark zone of caves.	iNat: 179360925
Darkling Beetle	Tenebrionidae		An unidentified darkling beetle; a large family well-adapted to dark, dry conditions and a common scavenger in cave environments.	Found deep in the dark zone of caves.	iNat: 179360165
True Fly	Diptera		An unidentified member of the true flies, the large order of two-winged insects found throughout cave environments.	Found deep in the dark zone of caves.	iNat: 179140094
Jumping Bristletail	Meinertellidae		A primitive, wingless insect resembling a silverfish that can leap using its muscular abdomen; found in rocky and cave habitats.	Location within cave unknown.	iNat: 145351355
Wingless Bat Fly	Penicillidia		A highly specialised, completely wingless fly that lives as a blood-feeding ectoparasite exclusively on cave-roosting bats.	Found deep in the dark zone of caves.	iNat: 48577354
Two-pronged Bristletail	Campodea		A pale, soft-bodied hexapod with long flexible cerci and antennae, frequently found in cave soils and leaf litter where it feeds on fungi and detritus.	Found in the twilight zone of caves.	iNat: 296251203
Forcepstail	Japygidae		A predatory dipluran with distinctive pincer-like cerci used to catch springtails, isopods, and other small invertebrates in cave crevices.	Found in the transitional zone between twilight and darkness.	iNat: 317552090

Eight legs

Arachnids are the dominant eight-legged invertebrates in cave systems. South Africa's caves harbour a remarkable diversity of spiders, harvestmen, and mites — including several species found nowhere else on Earth.

Common Name	Scientific Name	Photo	Description	Where	iNat
Mite	Acari		Tiny, often microscopic arachnids that scavenge organic detritus, bat guano, and fungal growth deep in cave substrates.	Found deep in the dark zone of caves.	iNat: 214850377
Flatty Spider	Anyphops		A remarkably flattened, free-ranging nocturnal spider endemic to southern Africa; presses itself flush against rock surfaces to hide.	Found in the twilight zone of caves.	iNat: 263910297
Orb-weaver Spider	Araneoidea		An unidentified spider in the superfamily that includes orb-weavers and cobweb spiders; often builds circular or irregular webs near cave openings.	Found in the twilight zone of caves.	iNat: 296252890
True Spider	Araneomorphae		An unidentified modern spider from the infraorder that contains the vast majority of the world's spider species.	Found near cave entrances.	iNat: 264706123
Disc Harvestman	Caddella		A harvestman genus endemic to southern South Africa in the family Caddidae, recognised by its distinctively flattened disc-like body.	Found in the transitional zone between twilight and darkness.	iNat: 316350073
Cape Cave Harvestman	Cryptadaeum capense		A harvestman species endemic to the Cape region; harvestmen resemble spiders but have a single fused body segment and no silk glands.	Found in the twilight zone of caves.	iNat: 202084381
Comb-toed Spider	Hahnia		A small spider in the family Hahniidae that builds flat, sheet-like webs close to the ground or along cave walls.	Found in the twilight zone of caves.	iNat: 202523723
Cape Shadow Harvestman	Izithunzi capense		A Cape-endemic harvestman species found deep in cave systems; its name "izithunzi" is the Zulu word for shadow.	Found deep in the dark zone of caves.	iNat: 179221356
Long-legged Harvestman	Macrobunidae		A family of harvestmen in the order Laniatores; characterised by long slender legs used to navigate uneven cave surfaces.	Found in the twilight zone of caves.	iNat: 316299666
Long-legged Angel Harvestman	Malaika longipes		A harvestman species whose genus name means "angel" in Swahili and whose species name refers to its exceptionally long legs.	Found near cave entrances.	iNat: 182631237
Haddad's Orb-web Spider	Metellina haddadi		A South African spider in the family Tetragnathidae, named in honour of arachnologist Charles Haddad; builds orb webs in dark recesses.	Found deep in the dark zone of caves.	iNat: 204793777
Harvestman	Opiliones		An unidentified harvestman; unlike spiders, harvestmen have a single oval body with no waist, no venom, and no silk glands.	Found in the transitional zone between twilight and darkness.	iNat: 317824922
False Wolf Spider	Phanotea		A genus of South African spiders in the family Zoropsidae that resembles wolf spiders; all 13 known species are endemic to South Africa.	Found deep in the dark zone of caves.	iNat: 323301336
Laceweb Spider	Phyxelididae		A family of African tunnel-web spiders that build intricate lacework sheet webs in dark, sheltered spots including cave entrances.	Found in the twilight zone of caves.	iNat: 287828498
Illustrated Harvestman	Purcellia illustrans		A South African harvestman species whose species name refers to distinctive markings on its body; found in the deep dark zones of caves.	Found deep in the dark zone of caves.	iNat: 202851554
Spitting Spider	Scytodes		A unique predator that immobilises prey by spitting a venomous, sticky gum from up to 20mm away; several species specialise in cave habitats.	Found deep in the dark zone of caves.	iNat: 204299325
Wynberg Cave Harvestman	Speleomontia cavernicola		A harvestman endemic solely to the Wynberg Cave System on Table Mountain; one of South Africa's most range-restricted cave invertebrates.	Found deep in the dark zone of caves.	iNat: 179219298
Cape Cellar Spider	Spermophora peninsulae		A small pholcid spider restricted to the Cape Peninsula; spins loose, irregular webs in dark, damp recesses and cave passages.	Found deep in the dark zone of caves.	iNat: 179141042
Trapdoor Spider	Spiroctenus		A mygalomorph spider in the family Bemmeridae that constructs a silk-lined burrow sealed with a hinged trapdoor to ambush passing prey.	Found deep in the dark zone of caves.	iNat: 214854283
Cape False Widow	Steatoda capensis		A shiny black cobweb spider native to South Africa; resembles a black widow but is far less venomous; now invasive in New Zealand and Australia.	Found in the transitional zone between twilight and darkness.	iNat: 258585796
Cobweb Spider	Theridion		A widespread genus of comb-footed spiders that builds small, irregular cobwebs in sheltered corners and rocky overhangs near cave openings.	Found in the twilight zone of caves.	iNat: 287830220

Many legs

Cave systems in South Africa host a remarkable diversity of multi-legged invertebrates. Centipedes and millipedes are among the most frequent cave visitors, alongside symphylans and terrestrial crustaceans such as isopods and amphipods.

Common Name	Scientific Name	Photo	Description	Where	iNat
Woodlice	Benthanops fulva		Small wood louse.	Found in and around cave entrances.	iNat: 305185672
Fynbos Stripe Red Millipede	Centrobolus digrammus		A red millipede with two dark dorsal stripes endemic the Western Cape, occasionally sheltering in cave twilight zones.	Found in the entrance and twilight zone of caves.	iNat: 317559236
Scolopendrid Centipede	Cormocephalus		A large, fast-moving centipede equipped with venomous forcipules; an active predator capable of a painful bite if handled.	Found in the twilight zone of caves.	iNat: 296321087
Blind Centipede	Cryptops		A small, eyeless scolopendromorph centipede; the lack of eyes is a natural adaptation to permanently dark soil and cave environments.	Found in the soil in cave entrances.	iNat: 304070070
Flat-backed Millipede	Dalodesmidae		A family of flat-backed millipedes with distinctive lateral keels on their body segments; found scavenging organic matter deep in cave systems.	Found deep in the dark zone of caves.	iNat: 278170739
Garden Centipede	Hanseniella		A symphylan, not a true centipede; a soft-bodied, 12-legged soil arthropod that feeds on fungal hyphae and organic matter in cave substrates.	Found throughout caves crawling through the soil.	iNat: 182993835
Stone Centipede	Henicopidae		A family of small, agile centipedes in the order Lithobiomorpha; typically found under stones and in cave twilight zones hunting small invertebrates.	Found in the twilight zone of caves.	iNat: 208571879
Snake Millipede	Julidae		A family of smooth, cylindrical millipedes that move in a characteristic wave-like motion using hundreds of tiny legs working in coordinated sequence.	Found near cave entrances.	iNat: 304067222
Stone Centipede	Lithobiomorpha		An order of agile centipedes with exactly 15 pairs of legs; active nocturnal hunters that shelter under stones and in cave crevices during the day.	Found in rich soils in caves.	iNat: 202852689
Handsome Reddish-brown Centipedes	Paralamyctes		A centipede genus whose distribution traces the ancient supercontinent Gondwana, with species found in southern Africa, Australia, and South America.	Found deep in the dark zone of caves.	iNat: 204112899
Cape Stone Centipede	Paralamyctes asperulus		A lithobiomorph centipede endemic to the Cape region of South Africa, found deep in cave passages where it preys on small invertebrates.	Found deep in the dark zone of caves.	iNat: 179214371
Flat-backed Millipede	Polydesmida		The largest order of millipedes, recognised by broad flat body segments with prominent lateral keels; many species are depigmented cave specialists.	Found deep in the dark zone of caves.	iNat: 179220361
Pill bug	Pseudodiploexochus		Very small wood louse.	Found soils in caves.	iNat: 202853166
Giant Pill Millipede	Sphaerotherium		Africa's largest pill millipede; rolls into a perfectly smooth, impenetrable ball up to the size of a ping-pong ball when threatened.	Found in the twilight zone of caves.	iNat: 190796844
Cave Isopod	Styloniscus tabulae		A family of terrestrial isopods (woodlice relatives) that have successfully colonised cave environments in southern Africa, feeding on organic detritus.	Found deep in the dark zone of caves.	iNat: 179222221
Land Hopper	Talitroidea		A superfamily of terrestrial amphipods that jump vigorously when disturbed; several species have colonised moist cave twilight zones in southern Africa.	Found in the soil in the entrance and twilight zone of caves.	iNat: 191401373

In the water

Common Name	Scientific Name	Photo	Description	Where	iNat
Isopod	Asellota		Tiny (<1.5mm) isopod.	Found deep in the dark zone of caves.	iNat: 179215822
Flatworm	Dugesiidae		Squidgy flatworm found patrolling cave pools. Often stuck to the underside of rocks.	Found deep in the dark zone of caves.	iNat: 180628839
Flatworm	Dugesiidae		Squidgy flatworm found patrolling cave pools. Often stuck to the underside of rocks.	Found near cave entrances.	iNat: 186057522
Flatworm	Dugesiidae		Squidgy flatworm found patrolling cave pools. Often stuck to the underside of rocks.	Found in the twilight zone of caves.	iNat: 278150906
Cave shrimp	Paramelita barnardi		Shrimp like, about 9mm long, lying on its side in pools.	Found deep in the dark zone of caves.	iNat: 180960606
Cave shrimp	Paramelita capensis		Shrimp like, up to 18mm long, lying on its side in pools.	Found deep in the dark zone of caves.	iNat: 188508458
Cave shrimp	Paramelita nigroculus		Black eyed cave shrimp.	Found deep in the dark zone of caves.	iNat: 204259532
Table Mountain Cave Shrimp	Spelaeogriphus lepidops		Endemic to Table Mountain.	Found deep in the dark zone of caves.	iNat: 219284663
Fish fly larva	Taeniochauliodes fuscus		25-35mm long. Often found in streams in caves.	Found deep in the dark zone of caves.	iNat: 199026335