Butterflys of Corfu 2022 pt 1 May 21st

 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.  

                    This one looks like a Lulworth Skipper , long way from Dorset   lol

I am really struggling to find any Butterfly's worth photographing, still not seen a Clouded Yellow in two walks around the lake. Off the path is too overgrown to go chasing any of the Spotted Fritillaries I have seen.   It looks so calm in this image , but the strong breeze comes and goes making it very difficult to get sharp in focus images of butterfly's perching on moving plant stems!

                               One of many Chafer Beetles that are feeding on the flowers.

                At last, one of numerous Glanville Fritillaries that are just not landing for long.

Underwing view of what appears to be another Glanville , initially thought this was a Spotted Fritillary.

Black Horsefly

                                                     Another Cricket hanging around!   

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.