www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Hi,
I go to Nerja region of Malaga province, three or four times a year for Butterflies and birds.
I have had some success with local species that I see on a regular basis, I usually go on similar dates each
year avoiding July and August , and I am keen to try and see a few new species, or make contact
with anyone who lives that way, happy to drive a few miles in any direction for a bit of different habitat.

If you are prepared to drive a bit of a distance, I can't recommend the Sierra Nevada highly enough.
Every second year for the last eight years we have holidayed at Alora, north west of Malaga. I drive the three hour pilgrimage on each visit to spend a day in the Sierra Nevada to search for the amazing species that are found there.
Of course, the time of year makes a big difference there, as the mountains are covered with snow for several months a year. It is always early July when I visit, but in a day I normally see over 40 species.

Many thanks Nick,
The national parks start at Nerja (Sierra de Almijara) and go all the way to Grenada,we go to Otivar sometimes but I assume you mean a bit further N.E. (the Sierra Nevada proper) between Lanjaron and Grenada. That sounds like the sort of area I need, I would be a lot closer than your intrepid pilgrimage, could you narrow it down a bit for me.
many thanks

If you put Kiosko Bar Hoya de la Mora into Google Maps you will see the ski resort at the top of the public road. This is the main route into Sierra Nevada signposted from Granada. I usually go to the car park at the end of this road where you can either walk up the mountain and find Zullich Blues, Nevada Blues, Spanish Argus, Spanish Brassy Ringlets, Purple-shot Coppers and Apollos.
You can also follow a path down to the stream, where you will find Escher's and Common Blues and various Fritillaries.
There is a view point on the way back down the road where I have seen Swallowtails and Scarce Swallowtails, Walls, Large Walls and Dusky Heaths.
And further down the road just after the trees start there is a track you can walk down where there are all sorts of species - Iberian Marbled Whites, Essex Skippers, Safflower Skippers, Black-veined Whites, Cleopatras, etc.
And in amongst these places you will see Large, Small and Bath Whites, Long-tailed, Lang's Short-tailed and Silver-studded Blues, Queen of Spain Fritillaries, Graylings.
These are just the places I have found. I am sure that there must be other locations in the area that are just as good. As I said, I usually go there early July. I normally arrive at 9am and stay until about 3pm spending time between the above locations.
There are about six posts on my blog about my visits there: http://nickmorgan-butterflypictures.blo ... rra+Nevada

Hi Nick,
Many thanks, lots of detail, just the job , nice blog by the way, I'm off tomorrow so it will be interesting to see what
early species I can find , its supposed to be 24 degrees there next week so bound to be something about.
If I may I will let you know what I find in the next month, I will be back to go north of the border May/June before I am back
out to Spain late June for another session.
Thanks again.

It will be interesting to know what is around at this time of year. I guess that there will still be snow at the locations I suggested, but lower down in Spain there should be plenty.
Late June for Sierra Nevada will be perfect.