We took a guided trip to Northern Greece in June 2024. It was a butterflying and birding holiday, although there were also plenty of moths, the odd lizard and a jackal. I took a lot of photos but have finally sorted and processed the butterflies. It was too hot and dry much of the time, … Continue reading "Butterflying in Northern Greece"
We took a guided trip to Northern Greece in June 2024. It was a butterflying and birding holiday, although there were also plenty of moths, the odd lizard and a jackal. I took a lot of photos but have finally sorted and processed the butterflies. It was too hot and dry much of the time, but we still managed to see at least 70 species of the possible 120 or so that are present in the region. Compare this to the mere 60 we have in the UK, many of which are rarely seen.
Some of the butterflies we saw in Greece. Of this small collection, only the Wall Brown and the Clouded Yellow are seen in the UK. The latter usually only as a rare migrant or occasionally in larger numbers in a so-called irruption year.
Balkan Copper, Lycaena candens
Balkan Marbled White, Melanargia larissa
Clouded Yellow, Colias croceus
Eastern Baton Blue, Pseudophilotes vicrama
Ilex Hairstreak, Satyrium ilicis
Lang’s Short-tailed Blue, Leptotes pirithous
Little Tiger Blue, Tarucus balkanicus, aka Balkan Pierrot
Mallow Skipper, Carcharodus alceae
Queen of Spain Fritillary, Issoria lathonia
Scarce Swallowtail, Iphiclides podalirius, aka Sail Swallowtail
Sooty Copper, Lycaena tityrus
Wall Brown, Lasiommata megera
Nettle-tree Butterfly, Libythea celtis, aka European Beak
You can see another batch of beautiful butterfly photos here.
