Crete?

[FISHiEE]

Hi,

Has anyone any experience of butterflies in Crete? We're looking to go to a Greek island for a couple of weeks next year courtesy of Mr Tesco's nice clubcard, the points of which I have been hording for the past few years. Currently Crete (Eastern end) around September time is looking favourite with the other half and was interested in whether Crete is a good location and September a good time to see butterflies. From what very little I have managed to find on the web it doesn't sound that fantastic. I'd really love to see Two Tailed Pasha and have a decent go at photographing the two Swallowtail species. I know they get the swallowtails on the island. Not so sure about TTP's? I have read other islands have them.

Or do I try and big up Corfu which I know a bit more about having been once before (before I was serious about butterflies) or maybe Rhodes?

Any info would be much appreciated

[Michaeljf]

I don't know about Crete, but Cyprus has the Two-Tailed Pasha, but it is still luck whether you locate it or not. I've been on two trips there and we only saw one fly past the car briefly. But they do have Swallowtails, and we saw them in August at Aphrodite's ruins near Paphos. There was also a nice landscaped garden next door to the ruins where they would stop off, if you don't mind doing a slight incline. If Crete is anything like Cyprus in Autumn it might be too dry to support many flower-nectaring butterflies at this time of the year. The bonus of the TTP is that it will stop on fruit and doesn't need flowers to nectar from.

Keep in mind that none of the Islands are awash with species anyway: Crete (45 species) Cyprus (53 species) Rhodes (50 species)

Otherwise I've only seen the TTP in Gibraltar - I can see why anyone would want to plan a trip to see them, they are one of my favourites. I don't suppose the other half wants to go to Gibraltar?

Two-Tailed Pasha, Gibraltar

Two-Tailed Pasha on fallen fruit, Gibraltar