Wednesday 30 May 2018

Colourful Cleopatras.

It is at this time of the year that I look forward to my first visit to the Greek Islands.The island of Lefkada in the Ionian Islands is always a favourite and last week I enjoyed a variety of butterflies here.
All residents and visitors around the Mediterranean must be familiar with the colourful Cleopatra butterfly Gonepteryx cleopatra. Adult Cleopatras can live up to 10 months as they hibernate over the winter,appearing again in May.The Cleopatras on Lefkada were numerous and guaranteed to be seen in high numbers on any flowering Bougainvillea.
The female is a pale greenish white,as noted in the final photograph below, displayed while seeing off a male.However the dazzling male sports bright yellow wings flushed on the forewings with orange.These upper wing colours are usually only viewed when the male is in flight,although sometimes there is an opportunity to see them while the butterfly is moving from flower to flower.







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