When butterflies are hot they are happy and when they are happy they show it by
non-stop fast fluttering and landing occasionally, only for a nanosecond. This is the
time to take the photo but usually it’s just of the flower—the butterfly is long gone.
If you are patient you may find that a particular butterfly favours a particular spot to
land; if you have your camera absolutely at the ready pointed at that spot you have
a better chance of success. But only slightly better.
For our first outing with the hire car we decided to drive over the mountains.
Driving through Saidona we remembered that there was a monastery nearby that
we failed to visit last time quite near to the mountain road. We decided to pay a
quick visit as it was All Saints Day. Parking by the side of the road there is a spectacular
view down to the coast and beyond to the western finger of the Peloponnese.
We walked the 200yards to the monastery along the path by the dusty, dry river
bed accompanied by dozens of butterflies. Fritillaries, Red Admirals, White Admirals,
Graylings and many smaller ones. It looked promising.
We walked up the ancient steps to
the little church which was open as half a
dozen people were preparing for a service. I
disturbed several bats in an abandoned
building. There were at least two different species, one I think possibly a
Greater Horseshoe, as it was larger and
very ugly.
Back down by the dry river bed I noticed
a host of insects and butterflies fluttering
around a damp stick which was poked
into a pipe- just enough water there to
moisten it and attract the thirsty insects.
A Brown Argus and a Lang’s Short-Tailed
Blu