During my service in the Royal Air Force, I was lucky to have had two tours on the island. April 1978 to April 1981 I was based at RAF Akrotiri and July 1990 to May 1993 I was based at 280SU Troodos where I lived, off base, in a beautiful village further down the mountain called Trimiklini. I met my wife there, who was also serving, and my youngest was born there in July 1991.
Later my wife’s parents retired from Wales to a property they had built in Moni, just outside Limassol, where they would spend the rest of their days until they passed.
During all of my time serving Queen and Country, and subsequent visits since, to see the in-laws, I was a birder and spent most of my leisure time birding, having seen over 200 species on the island.
Now I’m a butterfly enthusiast who laments the lost opportunities, butterfly wise, of past times there.
In May 2019, I visited Cyprus for a week and began my quest to catch up with the butterflies of the island and came away happy with what I had managed to see including the three endemics of Glaucopsyche paphos Paphos Blue, Hipparchia cypriensis Cyprus Grayling and Maniola cypricola Cyprus Meadow Brown
However, I was gripped by the beauty of Apharitis acamas, the Levantine Leopard, and knew that to catch up with this uncommon and local specialty I had to revisit the island later in the calendar year as it doesn’t emerge until June. I had also missed the opportunity in May 2019 to connect with Tarucus balkanicus the Little Tiger Blue, mainly found in the east of the island, plus this being a June visit it would also give me the chance to find Chilades galba, the Small Desert Blue, that inhabits the same area and terrain as the Tiger from June onwards.
According to the excellent Cyprus Butterflies website www.cyprusbutterflies.co.uk, managed by Eddie John, Cyprus appears to represent the only Mediterranean island in which the infrequently recorded Levantine Leopard is found.
Corresponding with Eddie prior to my May 2019 trip gave me invaluable information as to where to go for maximum returns. I contacted him again, prior to this trip, to glean any information that he had to help connect with the elusive Leopard.
June 22nd The day saw myself, and my wife Claire, jet out with, thankfully, none of the hassle that had beleaguered earlier passengers from Bristol Airport. A late arrival at our resort of Kissonerga, Coral Bay, meant that I would have to wait until the next morning to commence my quest.
June 23rd. The morning saw me up and at breakfast for 8am, ready for a 9am start. With temperatures reaching 30+ degrees during the day I figured a relatively early start might be prudent.
First butterfly of the day was a Lampides boeticus Long-tailed Blue that joined us for breakfast on some rock rose type plants (sorry plants aren’t my strongpoint!) at the outdoor restaurant.
As always with my trips I like to check out the local patch on the first day. I had hired a car for the duration of the week so headed up to the nearest hills to the resort which where between the villages of Pegeia and Kathikas.
- My local patch. The hills between the villages of Pegeia and Kathikas
The plant was Heliotropium hirsutissimum, Hairy Heliotrope, a plant with long strings of multi cluster yellow centered flowers on a green silver stem.
On approaching I noticed they were attracting a multitude of Small Whites along with good numbers of Bath Whites, Long-tailed Blues, the odd Small Copper, and best of all my first Chilades trochylus Grass Jewels. These diminutive butterflies certainly tested my resolve in trying to get any decent photo’s.
A supporting cast of Swallowtails, Cleopatras and Large Wall Browns made this small patch of waste ground a great start to my first morning butterflying and gave me my first lifer of the holiday.
- Heliotropium hirsutissimum, Hairy Heliotrope
- Chilades trochylus Grass Jewel (horribly cropped!!)
- Chilades trochylus Grass Jewel (horribly cropped!!)
- Chilades trochylus Grass Jewel (horribly cropped!!)
- Lampides boeticus Long-tailed Blue
- Lasiommata maera Large Wall Brown
- Pontia daplidice Bath White
- Pontia daplidice Bath White
- Gegenes pumilio Pigmy Skippper
June 24th. This morning I once again headed to the patch of waste ground and having observed the same species as yesterday set off to explore the surrounding hillside in search of the Leopard before it became too hot.
Following a dirt track I came across my first Clouded Yellow and amongst some roadside brambles I encountered my first Oriental Meadow Brown but frustratingly I didn’t manage to get a photo. Further along, in a gully, there were good numbers of Large Wall Browns, Long-tailed Blues, a couple of Pigmy Skippers and a few Swallowtails. At a fork in the track a likely looking hillside piqued my interest and I headed in that direction.
After half an hour my number one target was found. A sublime Levantine Leopard was posing beautifully as if waiting for my arrival. My first effort at locating this rarity and here I have it on my second day. It was mission accomplished for this species, and my second lifer of the holiday. I returned to the hotel a very happy man.
- Leopard country
- Apharitis acamas, the Levantine Leopard
- Apharitis acamas, the Levantine Leopard
- Apharitis acamas, the Levantine Leopard
- Lampides boeticus Long-tailed Blue
