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

April 22-27, 2012: A few early butterflies were seen at low levels in the south-west of the island. Close to the coast, the Paphos Blue was very frequent and Cyprus Meadow Browns were seen occasionally. Further inland Eastern Festoons were found in leafy places where their larval foodplant Aristolochia sempervirens occurs. One very flowery area near Kedares also had a resident Swallowtail. Clouded Yellows and Common Blues were also seen but failed to perch long enough for a photograph to be taken.

Eastern Festoon (male, both above)

Paphos Blue (male above, female below)

Swallowtail (above)

Cyprus Meadow Brown (above)

Wall Brown (above)