Valley Of Butterflies

This valley is located near Theologos Village, close to the Kalopetra’s Monastery around 23km from the Rhodes city. It was used to call Pelekanos due to the Pelekanos River coursing through this valley. Alexandros Ypsilantis Prince took his daughter who suffered from tuberculosis to this valley for its suitable climate to recover her. The Prince was accompanied by his slave, namely Pelekanos. Upon their arrival at the place, the Prince asked the slave to attend and nurse his daughter during his absence. To his unbeknownst, his daughter was apparently falling in love with Pelekanos. Feeling offended, Pelekanos committed suicide and thus people named the place after this poor slave. According to the local people, in 1930 the Italians brought the butterflies to this area. Yet, some elders claimed that the butterflies’ presence was noticed long before the arrival of these Italians. The outbreak however, the large numbers of butterflies were discovered since 1957. Many tourists later flooded this area and caused significant decrease in butterflies’ population. The irresponsible acts of these tourists by whistling on them or making some noise or even clapping their hands inflict the sudden motion of these butterflies. This sudden motion leads to massive consumption of energy, which may result to its death.

Butterflies for many people are considered as beautiful flying insects. The colorful and delicate wings are the most interesting parts of their body. The beauty of their shapes and shades has inspired many artists, viewed on pictures, sketches, tattoos, drawings, and even buildings ornaments. The life cycle of butterfly has four stages, started from egg, caterpillar or larva, chrysalis or pupa, and the final form of butterfly or moth. The stage of butterfly’s eggs usually begins during winter and lingers for several weeks. The eggs hatch during spring where they emerge as larva or caterpillars, which will then turn themselves into chrysalis before they finally convert their shapes into adults called butterflies. This life cycle of butterflies is the main attraction in the Butterfly Valley of Rhodes Island. This valley has been butterflies’ habitat for centuries. Thousands of butterflies are founded here, especially during their reproduction period in August. They are mating in summer and after this mating process the males will die, and the females leave their eggs before they die too. By the end of May, the new butterflies surface and come into sight on this Butterfly Valley. This species of flying insect is not only common in this Rhodes Island but also in some other places such as the Sea of Mediterranean, Western Asia and Europe.