It is May 2022 , and finally I have managed to get back to Corfu to see the huge variety of butterfly's after a few years of Covid preventing travel. Staying in Kassiopi again in the North East corner of the island so I can revisit the areas found on the last visit. It is a couple weeks later in the year, but appears it has been a cold slow start to the year on the island and everything is a bit later than normal.
Early on Saturday morning I have walked down to Avlaki beach to have a good look around the pond and surrounding scrub land which should be full of Butterflies and Dragonfly's.
First impression is that its extremely overgrown compared to last time here , the grass has grown up around the wildflowers that the butterfly's are feeding on making it very difficult to photograph them.
It is about 27 degrees with a fairly strong breeze coming of the sea which is going to cause some problems but the main track around the pond is fairly sheltered. First image is a teneral Dragonfly, not sure which species. There are some vibrant Red Darters but are very skittish !
So far I have not seen a single Clouded Yellow! which is extremely surprising as they are one of the most common species here. Meadow Browns are everywhere in good numbers along with large whites and a few species of Skippers.
Large Skipper.
There are Crickets everywhere , almost every plant has a few hanging around on the stems. There does not look like as many flowering plants as I remember , and only a few Common blue and Brown Argus flying in small areas.
It is just too hot now , I have given up. Hopefully with less breeze there will be more flying tomorrow.
And just when I get almost back to the beach , in the shelter of some large trees there is the first Clouded Yellow! yay
My next trip will be a long hike up into the mountains to find a specific location that was by far the best on my last visit. and its going to be quite a bit warmer and crucially without this breeze.
