Butterflies in Corfu

Charles Nicol · Post by **Charles Nicol** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 12:05 pm

I am going to Corfu for a fortnight shortly. Just wondering if anyone could recommend some good places there to see/photograph butterflies etc.....

charles

Danny · Post by **Danny** » Tue Aug 07, 2007 6:38 pm

Sorry I don't know where to see butterflies in Corfu, but I thought I'd respond as I know how much I hate it when I ask a question and nobody responds! I asked the same thing about Northern France last year and *nobody* replied at all. It left me somewhat depressed.

I suggest you take the Tritan De La Francis book and the collins one along with a net and a digital camera, so we call all have a go at identifying them on your return. Remember to wear a hat now!

Danny

Charles Nicol · Post by **Charles Nicol** » Wed Aug 08, 2007 12:03 pm

thanks for that Danny !! maybe nobody else has been to Corfu...

i am taking both my digital cameras ( kodaks z650 & z612 ) & will post any pics on my return

hopefully there should be some swallowtails & suchlike

charles

ps i will buy a hat when i get to greece...they have those huge australian straw ones for a couple of euros

Lance · Post by **Lance** » Wed Aug 08, 2007 12:47 pm

Where? the answer is everywhere. I just have returned from cefalonia. It was hot so station yourself near some flowering shrubs etc.
Swallowtails macheon including scarce swallowtail, clouded yellows, blues, fritillaries and hawkmoths were just a few of the highlights.

Charles Nicol · Post by **Charles Nicol** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 12:06 pm

thanks for that lance !! it sounds very exciting... as far as i can remember corfu has more vegetation than cephalonia so maybe even better prospects for butterflies

there are some salt pans near my resort which the butterflies visit for minerals apparently...

i will station myself at a taverna with a garden i think !!

Danny · Post by **Danny** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 1:02 pm

I know the exact place to spot Two Tailed Pasha in Skala, Kefalonia. If anybody's going there give me a shout and I can direct you to a definate place to see them (this time of year as well!)

Danny

Charles Nicol · Post by **Charles Nicol** » Tue Aug 14, 2007 4:26 pm

well here i am in corfu... thought you might like to know what i have seen so far

silver washed fritillaries
2 types of swallowtails including beautiful yellow one
hairstreaks.... not sure which type but silvery coloured
brimstone but with vivid orange markings on top of yellow
white admirals...but seem a bit smaller than uk version
common blues

no clouded yellows yet but still early days !!

yiassou

charles

Dave McCormick · Post by **Dave McCormick** » Tue Aug 14, 2007 4:38 pm

Thats good is the brimstone not a Cleopatra or a powderd brimstone/ Cleopatra has very deep yellow on its top upperside.

Post by **Padfield** » Wed Aug 15, 2007 5:45 pm

I've never been to Corfu, so didn't reply - but I'd love to go one day and am interested in your feedback. Do check those silver-washed frits for cardinal and the white admirals for southern white admiral (easy even with a passing view because of the blue hints and the prominent white cell spot). If you're armed with a camera it would be good to see some pictures of all these things - perhaps a hairstreak or two?

As Dave says, the 'brimstones' will be Cleopatras.

Guy

Charles Nicol · Post by **Charles Nicol** » Sun Aug 19, 2007 2:51 pm

thanks for the help with id guys !!

i have taken loads of pics & will upload them to my flickr site when i get back

i have seen one clouded yellow & at least 3 types of swallowtail.

i have found an excellent hilltop location for pashas...exhausting to reach but fabulous butterfly action !!

today i was watching pashas chasing swallows !! very funny

tomorrow i am going to explore a large lake area near Issos... i expect there will be some new species there.

charles

Matsukaze · Post by **Matsukaze** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 10:59 pm

Hi Charles,

I will be in Corfu in mid-October (probably too late for butterflies but I will keep my eyes open all the same).

Are there any particular places worth going to look, or are the butterflies fairly widespread across the island?

Chris.

Charles Nicol · Post by **Charles Nicol** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 10:42 pm

hi matzukase

if you are interested in pashas then there may still be some flying in october... i found mine next door to the telecomms masts at kavos....
i have made a video which i will post when i get back

i do not know which other species you can expect to find in the early autumn...

today i concentrated on the smaller butterflies... i took many pics of a really tiny butterfly a bit like a blue but with a more golden aspect... it only measured about 1 cm each way !!

the temperature was into the 40s today... over 100 degrees fahrenheit... scorchio !!

so i have pics of europe's largest butterfly ( pasha ) & smallest ... not sure exactly what it is but i will post the pics in the next few days !!

charles

ps the trip to lake korission was not productive for insects... however i saw some interesting birds including ibis & a bee eater...

Dave McCormick · Post by **Dave McCormick** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 12:10 am

Grass jewel (Chilades trochylus) the small butterfly? Its rather small

Charles Nicol · Post by **Charles Nicol** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 7:08 am

yes that looks like it !! well done Dave

the name Grass Jewel is just right for this pretty creature

charles

Charles Nicol · Post by **Charles Nicol** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 9:03 pm

well i am waiting for the plane home now...

went for a last expedition this afternoon

saw a pasha fly over the beach to the sea, drink some water & fly back inland...very interesting

also took some pics of a speckled wood & a red admiral

went to the hilltop location to see the pashas fighting... at one point there were 5 all dogfighting together

also took pics of a huge cricket which was on some railings

charles

Charles Nicol · Post by **Charles Nicol** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 9:37 pm

i think that my hairstreaks were actually longtailed blues... lampides boeticus

charles

Charles Nicol · Post by **Charles Nicol** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 12:08 pm

i have put a selection of the corfu pics here:

http://www.flickr.com/groups/445735@N24/pool/

enjoy !!

Martin · Post by **Martin** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 3:43 pm

Well worth hitting the "View Slideshow" button! I LOVE Two-tailed Pashas!

Martin.

Bryan H · Post by **Bryan H** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 5:25 pm

Stunning pictures, Charles!

And you seem to have brought some of that weather back with you!

Bryan

Denise · Post by **Denise** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 9:02 pm

I agree. What cracking photo's Charles.
Must have been a brilliant holiday.
Denise

Butterflies in Corfu

Butterflies in Corfu

thanks for reply !!

thanks lance

in corfu

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