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Turkey - Rubbish for Butterflies
Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 7:24 am
by Danny
Just back from the Bodrum area of Turkey, it was HOT!
A week yeided just 6 small white, a possible Mallow Skipper, a single unidentified blue (Long Tailed I think, it was on the move!) and just one swallowtail.
I walked out into the countryside and nothing was flying at all. It was a distaster butterfly-wise.
Danny
Re: Turkey - Rubbish for Butterflies
Posted: Sat Aug 30, 2008 3:27 pm
by Padfield
Sounds as if you had a pretty barren butterfly trip - I'm sorry.
It doesn't surprise me, though. At that time of year in southern Europe you need to find mountains or (fresh) water to get good numbers of butterflies, because the vegetation dries up everywhere else. I wouldn't give up on Turkey - just go in April next time, or get up into the hills.
Guy
Re: Turkey - Rubbish for Butterflies
Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2008 1:25 pm
by Sylvie_h
Hi Danny,
Look on the bright side: you had heat and sun whereas here in the UK, we had rain (well in Wales especially)every single day of August!!
Did you see any other interesting fauna like birds, reptiles or dragonflies?
Like Guy said, don't give up on Turkey: March - May are probably the best months to see flowers and butterflies (southern part). If you want to go in July-August, I would suggest that you go higher up and in the East of the country: around Erzurum or Artvin for ex where there are alpine meadows up to 4000m, you will find there species endemic of the Caucasus region like caucasian clouded yellow, appolo or festoon and many other species.
Sylvie
Re: Turkey - Rubbish for Butterflies
Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 11:02 am
by Danny
Yeah It was a nice holiday - it was sunny and *very* hot. But I was a bit disappointed with the wildlife situation. When ever I go on holiday to these places I like to escape from everybody and go for a walk armed with my tristan delafrancis book, or the collins one with a net and a jam jar. (otherwise you can't identify em). This time is was crap. I saw about 2 lizards, not many birds and about 4 dragonflies. It was terrible for wildlife.
Danny
Re: Turkey - Rubbish for Butterflies
Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 12:37 pm
by Denise
Hi Danny,
If ever you go to Bodrum again, hop on a ferry and spend a day in Kos, (daily ferries at around 10am and 5pm) The ferry docks in either Mastihari or Kos town. Go for the former. I spent a week there in July and it was fantastic for wildlife, butterflies, lizards, snakes
and birds.
Denise