10th - 17th September - Corfu, Greece - Butterflies and Insects

I had the chance to find some butterflies around the gardens of the resort in Corfu over the course of the week we were away.  A surprise was to find this Silver-washed Fritillary, but I suppose with the warm weather their flying time is extended.

It was attracted to the verbena that was flowering under one of the many Olive Trees.

Here showing off the 'silver wash' on the under hind wing.

Also around the verbena were bees, these were quite distinctive with brown stripes on the abdomen.  These are called Brown-striped Digger or Carder Bees.  They are quite common and are found in the UK and most of Europe to the west of Russia.

Walking to my sun bed around the middle of the week I spotted this Hummingbird Hawkmoth around the verbena.

Any other year I would have been thrilled to see one, but there have been so many in the UK this summer.

Another butterfly that I would have been pleased to find was the Long-tailed Blue.  They could be seen around the flowers, mostly female with a few a males chasing them.  Again, in the UK, Long-tailed Blues have started to appear along the south coast with several being seen in Hampshire.

They are constantly flying about chasing each other, but eventually settle on a leaf.  They are lovers of warm weather and sunshine and this makes them so active.

The only other butterfly of note was another common butterfly seen in the United Kingdom, the Meadow Brown.  This though a female of the Hispulla transitional variation.

A very poor photograph of a Silver Y moth.

On the there was a Praying Mantis that took occupation of one of the lights along the path close to the restaurant.  I saw it first thing in the morning going to Breakfast and it stayed in the same place until rain came along late afternoon.  Almost motionless it was quite simple to photograph.

My favourite with the sparkling water providing the background for a silhouette.

On the second from last night the rain that washed the mantis away was a very heavy thunder storm and as a result on our last day there were more butterflies about.  I saw Berger's Clouded Yellow, Painted Lady and a White Admiral that I could not be specific about.  Neither of these stopped for pictures.  But then in the afternoon just as we were thinking of going back to the room a Swallowtail came through and took a liking to the Bougainville and I was able to get some photos.

Unfortunately nothing new, but all were nice to see and in some really beautiful, well kept gardens.