First Trip to Greece.

My first ever visit to Greece was thirty years ago this year in 1986.My stay was spent on the Sithonia  peninsula of the Halkidiki region on mainland Greece.The terrain here is rugged and at that time relatively pristine.Two enormous hotels and a golf course dominated this shoreline but just a short walk gave way to a completely rural landscape.I well remember that Nightingales seemed to be everywhere and as it was May they were very vocal.In the meadows the butterflies were numerous with Queen of Spain and Spotted  Fritillaries as well as several species of 'Whites'.Among them were the Eastern Bath White,Eastern Dappled White,and my personal favourite, the Black-veined White.
Superficially the Dappled and the Bath White look the same but there are features which can separate the two.The green mottling on the underside of the Dappled can be said to resemble shadows formed by dappled sunlight through tree leaves and usually has a yellowish appearance to it.There are neat white "keyholes" around the outer-margin of the hindwing, and also of the outer-margin of the forewing but especially towards the wing tip. The underwing  green  of the Eastern Bath White is not so dappled and more of an olive green and less often yellowish.
This can be seen in the following photo of a mating pair of Dappled Whites from '86 and two examples of the Bath White,one from the same date and another seen on Lefkada in 2013.

  

    

Back to Lefkada.

A favourite Greek Island of mine and a visit at this time of year is perfect to enjoy what Lefkada has to offer in the way of butterflies.

Just three kilometres inland from the coastal town of Nidri is the local waterfall.The waters from the Islands' mountains cascade over this pretty waterfall into a rocky ravine.The base of the fall is easily reached from the approach road  by a donkey track and here in places the sun can penetrate to the floor of the ravine.In these sunny spots butterflies gather to take the salts and moisture and I was pleased to see several species including Wood White,Nettle Tree Butterflies,Ilex Hairstreak,and Southern White Admiral.

However the prize butterfly was a male Iolas Blue,the largest 'blue' in Europe,and as it turns out not a species recorded on Lefkada or indeed any Greek Ionian Island before.So this sighting is now quoted by Butterfly Conservation,European Interests Group on their Facebook page.

A male Iolas Blue

Roll on the Summer.

Spring is not too far away now and it will be hotly followed (hopefully) by early summer.Like me, a butterfly that enjoys the sun and warmth is the rather unimaginatively named Spotted Fritillary,Melitaea didyma.It can be common in Southern Europe and I have come across this handsome butterfly on the Greek Island of Lefkada where I have seen it in dry hillside meadows.The male has a bright orange- red upperside with black spots,hence its name, whereas the female is marked  much more extensively with black.The undersides of both sexes are similar

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More Lefkada Butterflies

On the outskirts of Nidri, on the island of Lefkada several streams and ditches flow from the mountains into the sea.As this island is part of the Ionian Islands rainfall is high in comparison with the Greek Islands of the Aegean that can be very dry especially during the summer.

So it seemed a good place to search for odonata and happily it did not disappoint.However butterflies too were around ,in the small fields(or wasteground as we would call it) feeding on the numerous wild flowers and grasses.

Whites and  the lovely bright yellow Cleopatra seemed to be particularly common here although the sight of a Balkan Marbled White was a treat.It has some differences compared to the ordinary Marbled White.

Fluttering about in the grasses are small blue butterflies and an attractive example is perhaps a Southern Blue.Polymmatus celina,a cryptic species of the Common Blue. However it is not in the known range of this particular species and  it can only be an unusual type of Common Blue. 

Turning to the brown butterflies,another id problem a lot of the time,on a sunny wall or rock the Wall Brown can be seen.An underestimated species as its colouring and patterning are rich.This one was no exception.

Road to Paliokatouna

The beautiful Greek Island of Lefkada  is one of our favourite destinations.We last visited it two years ago at the same time of year staying just above the hillside village of Paliokatouna with spectacular views over the coastal town of Nidri,and beyond to the Geni peninsula and the offshore islands.The mountains of the Greek mainland are clearly visible in the distance.

This year we made our base on the fringes of Nidri , where yachting is the main interest due to the safe mooring waters and sailing conditions.

As my butterfly trips were so successful around Paliokatouna last time I made a point of taking the road out of Nidri towards the village some three kilometres away.The quiet road gently rises up into the hills and dusty tracks lead off at regular intervals into olive groves and wooded areas.It wasn't long before I came across several species of butterfly,the most outstanding being the Swallowtail.A fast flier I generally only see it in passing but today I was fortunate enough to see it nectaring on scabious at the roadside.A notoriously difficult butterfly to photograph due to it's constant fluttering when feeding.

Scarce Swallowtail

 As it turned out perhaps the best way to see butterflies on this very hot day was to find any wet spot along a track as they are in constant need of the moisture and salts.I was again lucky in this regard as on the same wooded track as two years ago I found again a Nettle Tree Butterfly, and amongst a recently watered flowerbed a Woodland Grayling.

One species of butterfly that in some years is abundant but others not so is the Black-veined White.I did not see more than one or two time but was happy to see one feeding on thistles at the side of the road to Paliokatouna.

Wood White

The Wood White butterfly is resident in Britain but not on the Isle of Wight.These photos are from Lefkada in Greece.A dainty butterfly with a flappy flight,it is widespread in Europe and can be seen in S.Euorpe from April to September.Found in a very wide range of habitats.

Blue-spot Hairstreak

On our holiday to Lefkada in May 2011 the Blue-spot Hairstreak and the Ilex Hairstreak were very prominent on bushes and wayside plants.However the Blue-spot was not as numerous as the Ilex at that time.  The Blue-spot Hairstreak is generally common and widespread in the Balkan countries as well as westward along the Mediterranean coast to Spain and Portugal.Flight period is late May to late July in one brood.This is a butterfly of hot,dry,grassy,and bushy places.

Southern White Admiral

Outside our holiday home on Lefkada in Greece there was a large stone wall covered in honeysuckle and.every day we could be sure to see this beautiful butterfly visit it. Like its northern relative the White Admiral, honeysuckle is one of its foodplants.

Nettle Tree Butterfly

It is always a nice surprise when out in the countryside and finding something you were not expecting or even considering that you might see.This was the case with the Nettle Tree butterfly, while wandering in the hills and olive groves on the Greek Island of Lefkada.An unusual butterfly to look at but nonetheless splendid  in its new colours.This male and female were seen at the end of May and had no doubt recently emerged.This species is on the wing to August when it then hibernates until spring.

The females under hind wing is light brown with buff or pinkish tints when fresh,whereas the males under hind wing is more  grey in colour.

Spotted Fritillary in Greece

The Spotted Fritillary can be a common butterfly in Continental Europe.During June on the Island of Lefkada,Greece I came across a small colony feeding on mostly scabious flowers in a small hillside meadow.The male is brighter and has less black colouring than the female.