Cyprus butterflies

April 29-May 5, 2014:

Not having had any rain during he winter everywhere was very dry and the dragonflies and orthoptera had especially suffered with numbers very low. Butterflies were reasonably frequent and several species were seen.

 

Brown Argus at Smygies

 

 Clouded Yellow - Polis

 

Cyprus Meadow Brown - Polis

 

Eastern Dappled White - Kensigton Cliffs

 

 

Grass Jewel, the smallest European butterfly at Kedares

 

Hermit - near Anarita

 

 

Long-tailed Blue - Smygies and Aspro dam

 

Lulworth Skipper - Kouklea

 

Millet Skipper near Kouklea

 

Swallowtail near Kouklea

 



Cyprus butterflies - Autumn 2013

September 28-October 3, 2013:
Rather surprisingly there was not a wide range of species flying although some blues were present in good number, especially Lang's Short-tailed Blue (below)

Long-tailed Blues were also frequent (below)

 -  and low-flying Mallow Skippers were difficult to see against a similarly coloured background

Also, there was the occasional Clouded Yellow as at Ezousas

Cyprus butterflies - 2013

May 4-9, 2013:
Several species were already on the wing in the very hot weather:

Lesser Fiery Copper (Lycaena thersamon), male, near Kidasi

Hermit (Chazara brizeis) near Anarita

Clouded yellow (Colias crocea) at Polis

Long-tailed Blue (Lampides boeticus) near Panagia (top) and close to the Evretou dam

Mallow Skipper (Carcharodus alceae) at Polis

Millet Skipper (Pelopidas thrax) near Kouklea

Lulworth Skipper (Thymelicus acteon) at Polis

Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui) at Polis