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This is the rare, “helice” form of the female Clouded Yellow butterfly, Colias croceus f. helice. Not to be confused with the Pale and the Berger’s Clouded Yellow species. Spotted first on our trip Mrs Sciencebase. We get Clouded Yellow in rare irruption years in the UK, as I’ve mentioned before. Not seen this helice form before though.
Clouded Yellow (F, helice), Colias croceus f. helice
Yellow-banded Skipper, Pyrgus sidae, looks a bit like Mallow Skipper from above, but has this lovely custard yellow banding on the underside of its forewings, visible in my photo.
Yellow-banded Skipper, Pyrgus sidae
Large Blue, Phengaris arion, quite rare in the UK and found only in specific pockets of habitat.
Large Blue, Phengaris arion
This skipper, the Large Skipper, Ochlodes sylvanus, is one of a handful of species we see in the UK.
Large Skipper, Ochlodes sylvanus
We have a couple of fritillary-type butterflies in the UK, but there are a lot more species in Greece. This is one of them, the delightful Knapweed Fritillary, Melitaea phoebe.
Marbled White, Melanargia galathea, is a species we do see in the British summer. Funnily enough this mainly white-coloured species is not a “white” by family, but one of the browns, a Nymphalidae, more closely related to the Meadow Brown than the Large White, for instance.
Marbled White, Melanargia galathea
I’ve mentioned White-letter Hairstreak, Satyrium w-album, several times on Sciencebase over the last few years, having identified a colony myself in Rampton in 2022. Very much present in the UK too. But, lovely to see the species in Greece too. The scientific name suggestive of the butterfly being a satyr, with a white (album) “w” on its wings. Also in the shot, what I believe is a Red Longhorned Beetle, Stictoleptura rubra, in flight.
White-letter Hairstreak, Satyrium w-album
Clouded Yellow, Colias croceus f. helice
Yellow-banded Skipper, Pyrgus sidae
Large Blue, Phengaris arion
Large Skipper, Ochlodes sylvanus
Knapweed Fritillary, Melitaea phoebe
Marbled White, Melanargia galathea
White-letter Hairstreak, Satyrium w-album
On our recent butterflying, birding, and mothing trip to Northern Greece, I was keen to catch sight of an Eastern Festoon, Allancastria cerisyi, and hopefully get some photographs of this amazing member of the Papillonidae. The Papillonidae family is the “swallowtails” featured elsewhere on our trip in the form of the Scarce Swallowtail and the Yellow Swallowtail.
Eastern Festoon, Allancastria cerisyiEastern Festoon, Allancastria cerisyi, not quite wings open as I’d hoped for
Our intrepid guide Michael spotted the first of our Eastern Festoons in a little fallow field we were investigating that had a nice bramble border. The same field with our first European Green Lizard. Later I saw an Eastern Festoon in flight with its wings full displaying, but didn’t get a flight shot. So, these will have to do for my records of this species.
It has taken quite some time to work through the 1000s of photos I took of butterflies, moths, and birds in Greece. I’m trying to just pull out the single best shot of each species, but it seems a shame to waste flight shots of beautiful species like the Clouded Yellow, The Cardinal, and others, so they will feature in the various batches at least a couple of times.
As regular readers will already know Mrs Sciencebase and myself went on an expertly guided trip to Northern Greece in June 2024. We were there to see the local butterflies and birds, as well as a few moths, and any other wildlife that came into view and to enjoy the local food and drink. This is batch 4 of the butterfly photos. I am yet to process the birds, but that will happen soon, so subscribe to the newsfeed to get the word when the word is out.
The Black-veined White is the species that keeps getting mentioned in the British media when people illicitly raise them from imported eggs and release them into the wild. It used to be on the British list, but no longer. With climate change and the right wind direction it may re-appear hear naturally. It doesn’t need fake introductions into inappropriate habitat that do nothing but distort the scientific data.
I think I was the last of our group to spot this species, Lattice Brown (Kirinia roxelana), Michael, Martine, and Tricia having seen it on the second day. I didn’t get this shot until the last day of the tour.
Large Tortoiseshell, Nymphalis polychloros, used to be an extant (the opposite of extinct) species in the UK, but no longer. That said, there have been occasional sightings, these are usually captive-bred specimens. There are hints that some are vagrants that have made it across The Channel. Of course, they are very much extant in Greece and elsewhere in mainland Europe. We were unable to see this one’s legs to check whether it was the yellow-legged species, N. xanthomelas.
Lesser Fiery Copper, Tarucus balkanicusLittle Tiger Blue, Tarucus balkanicus, aka the Balkan PierrotBlue-spot Hairstreak, Satyrium spiniThe Cardinal, Argynnis pandora
You might think The Cardinal, Argynnis pandora, is one of those fritillaries, it certainly looks like one, but that cardinal-red margin, marks it out as a bit different and so while it is certainly one of the Nymphalidae like the fritillaries it stands ecclesiastically apart
Top view – The Cardinal, Argynnis pandoraThe Cardinal, Argynnis pandora – in flightThe Cardinal, Argynnis pandora – face onClouded Apollo, Parnassius mnemosyneRecord shot of Large Blue, Phengaris arion
Black-veined White, Aporia crataeg Lattice Brown, Kirinia roxelana Large Tortoiseshell, Nymphalis polychloros, aka Blackleg Tortoiseshell
Lesser Fiery Copper, Lycaena thersamon Little Tiger Blue, Tarucus balkanicus, aka the Balkan Pierrot
Blue-spot Hairstreak, Satyrium spini The Cardinal, Argynnis Pandora Clouded Apollo, Parnassius mnemosyne Large Blue, Phengaris arion
I’ve occasionally seen new butterfly species abroad – Scarce and Yellow Swallowtail, various blues, Cleopatra, and one or two others. But, we took a trip to northern Greece in June 2024 that was all about butterflies and birds and my world “tick list” expanded by quite a bit. Here’s the gallery of butterfly species we saw and of which I got photographs. There were several other species we saw between us that I don’t think I got photos, including Dark Green Fritillary, Essex and Small Skippers, possibly Anomolous Blue, and one or two others.
Working my way through far too many photos from our Greenwings trip to Greece in June 2024. The first two batches are here and here. My moth photos from the tour are here. I had a couple of good years with finding butterfly species in the UK that I’d not seen before. But, that dried up a little in 2023 because of acute mobility issues. So, in 2024, we headed to Greece and saw around 40+ species we’d never seen in the UK, 30 or so more that are of varied rarity in the UK but also present across Europe.
Wood White, Leptidea sinapisWoodland Ringlet, Erebia medusaEastern Bath White, Pontia edusa (gen det needed vs P. daplidice)Common Yellow Swallowtail, Papilio machaon from more than 100 metres!Eastern Rock Grayling, Hipparchia syriacaGrizzled Skipper, Pyrgus malvaeNorthern Wall Brown, Lasiommata petropolitanaSpotted Fritillary, Melitaea didymaWall Brown, Lasiommata megera
Wood White, Leptidea sinapis Woodland Ringlet, Erebia medusa Eastern Bath White, Pontia edusa (gen det needed vs P. daplidice)
Common Yellow Swallowtail, Papilio machaon Eastern Rock Grayling, Hipparchia syriaca Grizzled Skipper, Pyrgus malvae Large Wall Brown, Lasiommata maera Wall Brown, Lasiommata megera Spotted Fritillary, Melitaea didyma
We went on an expertly guided trip to Northern Greece in June 2024. To see the local butterflies and birds, as well as a few moths, and any other wildlife that came into view. Of my far-too-many photos, I selected out the best and have sorted and processed into birds, butterflies, and moths. We saw more than 70 species of butterfly on the trip. Only a handful of those are seen in the UK. Although in this batch of photos Large Skipper, Meadow Brown, Ringlet, Green Hairstreak, and Brown Argus are on the British List, so the majority were knew to us with one or two exceptions.
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.
We were in Northern Greece near Lake Kerkini, staying in a village called Chrisochorafa and trekking the mountains and lakes, of what was known as Macedonia in ancient times. We were touched the border of present-day North Macedonia at one point and on another day were not too far from Bulgaria.
I recorded some 43 moths on our trip to Greece this year, and perhaps saw a few more micros of which I didn’t get photos. I’ve tabulated the full list as it stands in a separate post entitled Moths Matter in Macedonia.
As well chasing the obvious on our Greenwings butterflying and birding trip to Greece, there was also time for a few moths. Some during the day, some that overnighted in the stairwell of our little hotel, and some from fellow amateur Lepidopterist, Martine’s field trips around the village of Chrisochorafa. Thanks to Martine and Michael for IDs on the local species and for Mrs Sciencebase’s eagle eyes in spotting much of the wildlife.
Pyropteron minianiformis
Spotted my one and only clearwing moth of the trip, Pyropteron minianiformis, on our first day trekking through the disused Vironia Quarry. This was also where we saw our first Little Tiger Blue, Ilex Hairstreak, Clouded Yellow, and Nettle-tree butterflies, Masked Shrike, Levant Sparrowhawk and overhead Ravens too.
Closeup of one of the tiniest, but perhaps showiest, moths we saw in Greece. This is a Balkan species known as Euplocamus ophisa (Tineidae), which feeds on bracket fungi and rotten wood. The male’s antennae are almost as long its wings!
We also saw our first tortoise of the trip. We had seen our first Bee-eaters, White Stork, and Honey Buzzard en route, and heard our first frogs. There will be more about the birds and other wildlife in a subsequent post, once I have processed those photos.
Euplocamus ophisa
The yellow and black micro moth with large, feathery antennae is a male Euplocamus ophisa (Tineidae). Spotted several of these in the stream-side woodland where the Glider butterflies were seen. No ID for the arachnid.
Speckled Yellow, Pseudopanthera macularia
Mrs Sciencebase spotted the first Speckled Yellow (Pseudopanthera macularia, Geometridae) of the trip, at the Lailias Ski Centre, I think it was.
Catocala nymphaea
I spotted this large moth, Catocala nymphaea (Erebidae), which was roosting on a derelict building near a barely used dirt track we butterflied. It is related to Red Underwing, Crimson Underwing, Clifden Nonpareil, but, while it has orange on its hindwings, it is not an orange underwing.
The Geometrician, Grammodes stolida
The Geometrician, Grammodes stolida (Erebidae). Potted by Martine on her late-night field trip not far from Chrisochorafa.
Knot-grass, Acronicta rumicis, larva
Knot-grass (Acronicta rumicis, Noctuidae) larva feeding on spurge, I believe, Vironia Quarry
Riband Wave, Idaea aversata
The filled band on this Riband Wave, Idaea aversata (Geometridae), is rather more pink than I have seen before.
We were watching lots of butterflies and the nectaring Hummingbird Hawk-moths on a purple patch of vetch at the side of the road up towards the Lailias Ski Centre when a couple of Broad-bordered Bee Hawk-moth, (Hemaris fuciformis, Sphingidae) put in a timely appearance.
Michael spotted a couple of Spurge Hawk-moth (Hyles euphorbiae, Sphingidae) larvae feeding on some roadside spurge, like they do.
Euclasta splendidalis
Early-morning phone snap of a long-legged moth which was roosting at dawn at our accommodation. Euclasta splendidalis (Crambidae) is restricted to SE Europe onwards to Turkey and the Middle East. The food plant is a vine called Periploca graeca (Asclepiadaceae – Milkweed family).
Nine-spotted Moth, Amata phegea
There were lots of Nine-spotted Moth around on our wanderings. They are also known as the Yellow-belted Burnet (Amata phegea, Erebidae) or in Michael’s parlance, the “lazy moth” on account of their general indolence.
Wood Tiger, Parasemia plantaginis
Wood Tiger (Parasemia plantaginis, Erebidae) spotted and potted by Martine before being released back on site for a photo or two.
The Passenger, Dysgonia algira
The Passenger (Dysgonia algira, Noctuidae) was fluttering around the hotel stairwell with several micros when we returned from our evening meal with the Little Owls.
Black-veined Moth, Siona lineata
Black-veined Moth (Siona lineata, Geometridae), not to be confused with the Black-veined White butterfly, which we also saw.
Hummingbird Hawk-moth, Macroglossum stellatarumBright Wave, Idaea ochrataThe Forester being consumed by an arachnid
The Handmaid
Treble-barDotted Border WaveSlender Scotch BurnetSix-spot BurnetTransparent BurnetRhagades pruniPurple-barred YellowCommon HeathMother ShiptonChrysocrambus cassentiniellusSmall Fan-footed Wave, Idaea biselata – Not 100% on the ideaPyrausta purpuralisFemale Gypsy Moth, phone snapSpotted Sulphur, phone snapBrown China-mark, Elophila nymphaeata (wobbly shot on the boat, too big a lens). Several on the boat, the larvae feed on aquatic plants.Not a great photo of Chequered Wave
The Macedonia of my blog headline refers to the ancient Greek region which coincides with the area of modern, northern Greece where we were staying and exploring. North Macedonia was west of us, just over the border. At one point, we were within a few metres of the North Macedonian border patrol as we headed for a known site – the woodland and scrub around the Doiran Memorial – seeking, unsuccessfully as it turned out, the Tessellated Skipper butterfly.
Large Tortoiseshell, Nymphalis polychloros, used to be an extant (the opposite of extinct) species in the UK, but no longer. That said, there have been occasional sightings, these are usually captive-bred specimens. There are hints that some are vagrants that have made it across The Channel. Of course, they are very much extant in Greece and elsewhere in mainland Europe. We were unable to see this one’s legs to check whether it was the yellow-legged species, N. xanthomelas.
