www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

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

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

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

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.

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 !!

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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...

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

yes that looks like it !! well done Dave

the name Grass Jewel is just right for this pretty creature

charles

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

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

charles

i have put a selection of the corfu pics here:

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

enjoy !!

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

Martin.

Stunning pictures, Charles!

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

Bryan

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