Valley of the Butterflies, Rhodes

Petaloudes is a narrow, humid valley on the western side of Rhodes, thick with oriental sweetgum trees whose resin draws Jersey tiger moths in their thousands through the summer. Wooden walkways and small bridges follow a stream up the valley past pools and low falls, climbing gradually toward a monastery and a small natural history display at the top. In the moth season the trunks and rock faces are patterned with folded wings that look like bark until something disturbs them and the whole surface lifts in a flash of red underwing. Visitors are asked not to clap or shout, since every flight burns reserves the insects need. Outside the season it reverts to being a cool, green walk.

The landscape

• The moth-covered trunks - insects packed on bark and rock, invisible until they move.
• The stream walkways - wooden paths and bridges crossing pools and small falls up the valley.
• The sweetgum trees - the resin-bearing species the whole phenomenon depends on.
• The upper monastery - a quiet stop at the top of the climb with a small display.

When to go

The moths are present roughly from late June to early September, with numbers peaking in the hottest weeks. Early morning and late afternoon are cooler for the uphill walk and less crowded. In spring and autumn entry is cheaper or free but the valley is simply a shaded stream walk. Coach groups arrive mid-morning and fill the narrow boardwalks.

What to expect

In peak season the walkways are narrow and busy, and people do clap despite the signs. On cool or overcast days the moths are hard to make out at all, and photographs rarely capture them. The path climbs steadily and the humidity makes it feel longer than it is. Outside the season the entry fee buys you a pleasant but ordinary wood.

Nearby

The hill village of Theologos, the wine villages around Embonas and Rhodes Old Town.