Whilst autumn is a time of cooling temperatures and sometimes cloudy, wet weather in the UK, the same cannot be said about the southern Spanish coast, where pleasant warmth persists into November and the sun shines almost every day.
In the far south west of the region, there are a range of exotic butterfly species for whom this time of year is the optimum period, and this tour will set about finding those, as well as the more regular species that are still on the wing.
Close to the southern tip of Spain, a mere 9 miles from the Moroccan coast, there are established colonies of Monarch Danaus plexippus, and flying alongside (as well as in many other locations) will be Plain Tiger Danaus chrysippus, making for a unique visual spectacle in a European country.
Rather less showy but still exotic in its own way is the feisty Zeller’s Skipper Borbo borbonica. This enigmatic butterfly has successfully (re)colonised this southernmost part of Spain over the last decade or so, and can be seen in good numbers along many of the watercourses to the west of Gibraltar. More unobtrusive still, False Mallow Skipper Carcharodus tripolinus exists on the very northern periphery of its range in southern Spain, and we anticipate encountering it too during our time exploring the region.
Further to the east, the striking Desert Orange Tip Colotis evagore, is present along the rocky coastline where its larval host plant, caperberry, can be found.
Another resident species that has seemingly conquered this part of Spain is the tiny African Grass Blue Zizeeria knysna. This is another butterfly that can be found near to watercourses, and is therefore often found near agricultural land. It's also found in the grounds of our comfortable four star hotel!
Alongside these ‘exotics’ will be a selection of late flying, more regular Spanish species, such as Mediterranean Skipper Gegenes nostradamus, Long-tailed Blue Lampides boeticus, Lang’s Short-tailed Blue Leptotes pirithous, Tree Grayling Hipparchia statilinus, Cardinal Argynnis pandora, Swallowtail Papilio machaon, Southern Blue Polyommatus celina, Bath White Pontia daplidice, Sage Skipper Muschampia proto, and possibly Two-tailed Pasha Charaxes jasius - we have a reliable site for the latter exotic species, the only member of this predominantly African genus to occur in Europe, and we will spend a morning baiting the site with our 'patent pasha paste'... Two-tailed Pasha, like the Purple Emperors we're familiar with in northern Europe, has some unsavoury tastes and can't resist our bait!
Most significantly, during our tour in 2025 we discovered Desert Babul Blue Azanus ubaldus on the wing - this is an ultra-rarity, one of the very first of its kind to be seen on mainland Europe. We can't wait to follow its fortunes in years to come. Furthermore, during our tour in 2026 we were fortunate to enjoy an extensive breeding colony of its close relative, and similarly rare, African Babul Blue Azanus jesous.
With the weather being reliable, and the target species all within a relatively narrow area, this tour can be successfully undertaken in a shorter window than most others, meaning that it is perfect for anyone who wants five nights away within sight of Africa, and who wishes to see some remarkable butterflies not found elsewhere in Europe.
