On the western side of the island of Rhodes, approximately five kilometres south east of the village of Theologos (Tholos), we find the Valley of the Butterflies. The valley is split by the Pelican River and lies directly below Kalopetra Monastery. According to the older inhabitants of the area, the valley used to be named Pelican valley, now changed due to the fame of the butterflies, and the river now uses the name of Pelican.
Legend states that Alexander Ipsilandis built Kalopetra Monastery. He brought his daughter who was suffering from tuberculosis to take advantage of the healthy climate in Rhodes. He also brought a slave named Pelicanos to guard her. Soon they both fell in love. When Ipsilandis refused to give them permission to marry, Pelicanos committed suicide in the valley. From then on the valley took his name. Seemingly during the Turkish occupation the vegetation in the valley was so thick it was impossible to cross it. Only a few lumberjacks employed in making charcoal entered it. In 1928, an Italian company was established a little further down the valley in an area called Kalamonas. It should be mentioned that the company director, Mario Lango, renamed it Beverargo, after the village where his wife had been born. This company developed the valley. They built two new reservoirs and replaced the old flour mill with a new one for grinding their wheat. This work continued for 10 years. They built footpaths, the benches and a water spout serving the community. It was around this period in 1930 when the first butterflies appeared. It was rumoured that the Italians brought them, but some of the older inhabitants who had worked in the valley said the butterflies had always existed there, just that they had never been noticed before.
Before the war, tourism in the area was limited. It is estimated that one bus and four to five taxis came daily, if they came at all. The Italians remained on the island until the arrival of the British and it must be said that they took good care of the valley. After the war, the valley was under the jurisdiction of the Dodecanese Public Council. Later on the Greek Tourist Organisation took over and handed over control to the Council of Rhodes. Since 1991, the valley has been maintained, protected and developed by the local Council of Theologos.
The first tourists after the war were said to be mainly the Rhodian Jews as it was not until around 1957 that the butterflies became more universally known. Since then more and more visitors come to the valley each year.
A German researcher, Peter Elger was once said to have caught one hundred butterflies which he marked. He then transported them to other areas of Rhodes and released them, but they returned to the valley. During the 1970’s a technique was used to arouse the butterflies so that tourists could take better photographs of them. They used loud whistles and clapped their hands to force the butterflies into flight. Whistles and handclapping create ultra sounds similar to those emitted by bats enabling them to locate their prey (in this case the butterflies) by these sounds deflecting back to the bats ears. The butterflies, believing that they are under attack by bats start to fly around frantically and consume precious energy which is stored as fat. Having in mind that butterflies do not eat, we can predict that in the end they will die of exhaustion having consumed all of their stored food supply.
During the rainy period, the butterflies in the caterpillar stage remain in the Mediterranean thicket (arbutus, myrtle and rush) feeding on the foliage. As the end the wet season approaches, towards the end of May, the final stage is concluded and the butterfly in all her perfection makes her appearance in the form recognisable to us. They move constantly towards areas of the higher humidity. Flying at random but always following the "water ways", as the dry period progresses, they finally arrive at the valley.
They will remain here throughout the summer. At the end of August they mate and will fly away for distances of up to 30 km in order to lay up to one hundred eggs each in the Mediterranean undergrowth.
When the rain comes and the fresh leaves begin to appear, the little butterfly caterpillars hatch from their eggs and find the food which helps them develop.
The butterfly has an atrophic peptic system (without a stomach). From May until the mating period (for the males) and until the egg laying period (for the females) they do not eat. They survive on the energy stored from their previous lives as caterpillars. This energy is in the form of fat, something quite normal for creatures that fly, as fat has for the equivalent weight, the most calories.
It is vital that the butterflies remain peacefully motionless on the bushes and vines day and night at the appropriate temperature and humidity, in order to conserve energy and survive until the mating and egg laying period. In reality it belongs to the moth family. The basic characteristics are as follows:
a. The base of the side of the back wing carries a projection like a hair or a thorn (frenulum).
b. The antennae are simple, like hairs or combs thinning at the ends. Most flying insects rest with their wings flat and either towards the sides or the rear. They are typical nocturnal animals which don't have bright colours. They spin a silk cocoon within which they become nymphs.
Ex. 1. Answer the questions:
1. What does the legend about the Valley of butterflies state?
2. Who is Mario Lango?
3. When did the local Council of Theologos start to develop the valley?
4. What month do the butterflies mate at?
5. What are the basic characteristics of the moth family?
Ex. 2. Remember the following words and word combinations:
the Valley of the Butterflies; to take advantage of the healthy climate; the rainy period; the caterpillar stage; the mating period; to transport; to release; to conserve energy.
Ex. 3. Make-up sentences using the following words. The first word is underlined.
1. Legend, Kalopetra Monastery, states, Alexander Ipsilandis, built, that.
2. continued, work, This, years, 10.
3. remain, throughout, summer, will, They, here, the.
4. at, end, August, mate, the, of, They.
5. spin, They, cocoon, a, silk.
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