Butterflying in Northern Greece

We took a guided trip to Northern Greece in June 2024. It was a butterflying and birding holiday, although there were also plenty of moths, the odd lizard and a jackal. I took a lot of photos but have finally sorted and processed the butterflies. It was too hot and dry much of the time, but we still managed to see at least 70 species of the possible 120 or so that are present in the region. Compare this to the mere 60 we have in the UK, many of which are rarely seen.

Some of the butterflies we saw in Greece. Of this small collection, only the Wall Brown and the Clouded Yellow are seen in the UK. The latter usually only as a rare migrant or occasionally in larger numbers in a so-called irruption year.

Balkan Copper, Lycaena candens

Balkan Marbled White, Melanargia larissa

Clouded Yellow, Colias croceus

Eastern Baton Blue, Pseudophilotes vicrama

Ilex Hairstreak, Satyrium ilicis

Lang’s Short-tailed Blue, Leptotes pirithous

Little Tiger Blue, Tarucus balkanicus, aka Balkan Pierrot

Mallow Skipper, Carcharodus alceae

Queen of Spain Fritillary, Issoria lathonia

Scarce Swallowtail, Iphiclides podalirius, aka Sail Swallowtail

Sooty Copper, Lycaena tityrus

Wall Brown, Lasiommata megera

Nettle-tree Butterfly, Libythea celtis, aka European Beak

You can see another batch of beautiful butterfly photos here.