Just back from a lovely two week family holiday to Tenerife. I managed to sneak in a few walks while my wife and kids were enjoying the beaches and swimming pool. We were at a resort in Callao Salvaje in the south-west which wasn't a good area for butterflies, however with the island only being about 50 miles long, nowhere was more than around an hour and a half away.
Most of the southern side of the island is semi-desert with various succulents and drought-tolerant plants growing. In the spring it must be quite colourful when the plants are in flower, but at this time of year there was nothing much flowering.
On the first morning I was delighted to see African Grass Blues on the grass outside our villa. They seem to occur on almost every irrigated grassy area in the towns and resorts. I didn't see them in any natural areas, so I guess that they will be one of the few species to have benefitted from developments there.
- African Grass Blue
Most days we would see one or two Small Whites flying through the resort and later on our holiday my daughter spotted about thirty Small White chrysalises on an abandoned building across the road from our resort. They were probably the most widespread butterfly we saw while we were in Tenerife.
Each evening, at about 7 o'clock, a Monarch would cruise amongst the trees opposite our villa. It occasionally landed on a leaf, stayed for a few minutes and then flew around again. There was one tree that it appeared to feed on, but I couldn't figure out why it landed on the other trees, or why it always seemed to arrive at that time in the evening! I never managed to keep track of it, so possibly it came to those trees to roost for the night.
- Monarch
A few days into the holiday, I drove up to the north east corner of the island for a walk in the Laurel forest near a small village called Erjos. Having only seen three species of butterflies in the first three days, this proved to be a good move! I saw ten species of butterfly that day. Sadly, the first one was a road casualty, a Canary Red Admiral, making its last few flutters at the side of the road. It was a very striking butterfly, noticeably more of a deep red than our Red Admiral, with fewer white markings. Unfortunately, this was to be the only one I saw on our trip.
Once in Erjos, I walked out of the village and through some small fields where there were several Small Whites. I guess that the local cabbage production is severely impacted, as one small field had over 100 Small Whites amongst the Brassicas!
- Small White
Just outside the village, on a shady path, I saw my first Canary Speckled Wood. I excitedly took several pictures, all of which I later deleted, as I saw so many more of them that day. Further into the Laurel forest they were quite numerous and I saw more than 50.
- Canary Speckled Wood
- Canary Speckled Wood
A little further up the path, in a sunny spot, there were several Clouded Yellows chasing each other without stopping for a picture! This spot also proved attractive for Small Coppers and Southern Brown Argus.
- Southern Brown Argus
- Small Copper
Once into the cooler Laurel Forest, amongst the Canary Speckled Woods, I saw my one and only Canary Grayling. I disturbed it as I walked past, and I watched it fly down the steep slope below the path, landing briefly, before flying up and landing in a tree several metres away. I have a picture and I know that the small dot in the tree is a Canary Grayling, but it is only just distinguishable as a butterfly!
Further down the track I saw a Canary Large White on a thistle growing in a gorge below the path. There was too much vegetation between it and me for a picture, but further down the track I saw another. After scrambling and sliding down the side of the gorge I did manage to get a few pictures, but not very good ones. They were worth all of the cuts and grazes, though! The Canary Large White is noticeably larger than our Large White and much more strongly marked. When it flies it appears to be yellow, black and white, but when it lands the yellow isn't so clearly noticeable.
- Canary Large White
- Canary Large White
As I started my return walk to Erjos I saw a Canary Brimstone flying towards me. It was rather ragged, but quite a bright yellow. Unfortunately it appeared to be on a mission and didn't stop for a picture. I did managed to point my camera vaguely in its direction, so I have a picture of a yellow smudge that only I know is a Canary Brimstone!
The other butterfly I saw that day was a Meadow Brown that was at the side of the path back into Erjos.
Two days later we drove up to the Parque Nacional Del Teide. I was very surprised to see quite a number of flowering plants and shrubs in this high, dry landscape. At the visitor centre, close to 12,000 feet above sea level, there were plenty of Canary Blues flying amongst the Shrubby Scabious and White Broom.
- Parque Nacional Del Teide
- Canary Blue
I saw what I assume were Bath Whites flying by. The Tenerife Green-striped White also occurs up there, but I think it was a little too late in the season for it to have been them. There were also a few Clouded Yellows flying amongst the sparse vegetation.
The following day I dropped my wife and kids off at a water park at Puerto de la Cruz on the north of the island while I visited the botanical gardens. Unfortunately, it was a rather overcast day and the gardens are very leafy and shaded, so I only saw a couple of Small Whites there. So I went for a walk in the Pine forest instead!
Back in Puerto de la Cruz to pick up the family I saw a couple of African Migrants amongst the Small Whites. The flower beds outside the water park were teaming with Geranium Bronze and African Grass Blue.
- Geranium Bronze
- African Grass Blue
A couple of days later I decided to go for a walk near a village called Masca where I had been told there were good walks. The village is reached down a death-defying road, consisting of nothing but hairpin bends on a steep mountain side. I couldn't find much in the way of paths to walk, but enjoyed walking along the road and amongst the terraces of vegetables. Amongst the numerous Small Whites there were quite a lot of Clouded Yellows laying eggs. Also Long-tailed Blues, Bath Whites, Southern Brown Argus and Small Coppers. It was lovely watching Monarchs floating on the thermals at the side of the road.
- Masca
- Clouded Yellow
One day we visited Siam Park, which claims to be the biggest water park in Europe. I had plenty of time to look for butterflies while queuing up for the water slides. Strangely, I only saw three butterflies, despite the lush vegetation and flowering plants. Later that week, back at our resort, we received a note through the door to say that they would be fumigating the gardens the following day. This consisted of one person with a knapsack sprayer spraying insecticide and another with what looked like a leaf blower puffing out smoke. This was to keep the cockroaches down, but I am sure this sort of treatment must also repel butterflies. And I think this probably explains the lack of butterflies at Siam Park, too.
On my second last day I drove up to the north east of the island - Anagar. Much of this area is a national park and covered in Laurel forest. I thought that probably the best area to look for butterflies would be around the edge of the forest, and I found an amazing road going down to a collection of houses called Bejia. Many of the houses were built into the rock faces and much of the area was terraced with various fruit and vegetables growing.
- Los Batanes
I walked down the road and then over a path to the neighbouring village of Los Batanes. This area proved to be very good for butterflies. It was much cooler than the south of the island (21 degrees as opposed to 28 degrees) and very green and productive. The first butterfly I saw was a Canary Blue and it was strange seeing it in a completely different habitat to Mount Teide. During my walk I came across and another six or seven.
- Canary Blue
- Canary Blue
It was interesting that at the top of the road there were a lot of Canary Speckled Woods, but as I descended they became less common and further down the road the area was also alive with Small Whites and Bath Whites.
- Canary Speckled Wood
- Bath White
- Bath White
- Southern Brown Argus
I saw one more Canary Large White, several Southern Brown Argus and a number of Clouded Yellows. Sadly, I didn't see any Canary Red Admirals, which was what I was hoping to find. I was told that they were quite common on the south of the island over the winter, but that they are rare during the summer due to the lack of flowers. They should still be around on the north of the island during the summer, though.
However, I did manage to see 17 species during our holiday. I was surprised not to see a Painted Lady and I did spend a lot of time checking out areas of grassland for Canary Skippers without success. The only other butterfly that I potentially could have seen would have been a Cardinal.
I would love to return to Tenerife, maybe in the spring time, as it is a fantastic destination for walking, once you get away from the developed areas.
Large Skipper still worth looking for in your neck of the woods. Do you have Painted Lady yet on your year list? There are more than likely Large Heath somewhere on the East Lothian side of the Lammermuirs...dont ask me where. What about Purple Hairstreak ...possibilities. I have failed to see anymore Clouded Yellow...sadly. Scotch Argus are the last of the species I expect to see this year...a week or even two away in the Borders.
. Still if it continues like this maybe down here in Salisbury Long-Tailed Blues etc will become a regular feature 
