The Butterflies of Artvin

by Ahmet Baytaş

With about 210 species (nearly 60 percent of all butterflies found in Turkey), Artvin is among the provinces with the greatest butterfly diversity in Turkey. During the summer months, one can see huge numbers of butterflies in virtually every village, pastureland, garden and orchard in all districts within the province, though the butterfly density is the greatest in open meadows on the south-facing slopes of the Kackar Mountains, along the Barhal River, and in the Choruh Valley between Yusufeli and Kılıçkaya. The Yaylalar Village in Yusufeli is one of the prime butterfly areas in Turkey, not only because of the diversity and density of its butterflies, but also because it is home to a number of rare species that are endangered in Europe.

Some of the Turkish endemics are not too difficult to find in Artvin: one can find the Hi Blue (Polyommatus merhaba) in the Choruh Valley, Hoppfer’s Blue (Polyommatus hoppferi) in the southern half of the province, Turkish Blue (Polyommatus turcicus) at high altitude meadows at the foothills of the Kackar Mountains, and the Larger Anatolian Blue (Polyommatus aedon) in the soutwestern corner of the province, especially in Yusufeli.

However, it should be stressed that what makes Artvin so important in terms of its butterfly fauna is the fact that at least a dozen seriously endangered species, identified as such in Europe by the Red Data Book of European Butterflies published in 1999, live in Artvin. Among these are the well-known butterflies like the Apollo (Parnassius apollo), Large Blue (Glaucopsyche arion), Woodland Ringlet (Erebia medusa) and the Marsh Fritillary (Euphydryas aurina), rare species like the Yellow-legged Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis xanthomelas), Poseidon Blue (Polyommatus poseidon), Cinquefoil Skipper (Pyrgus cirsii) and the Eastern Orange Tip (Anthocharis damone), and blues such as the Lesser Checkered Blue (Pseudophilotes vicrama), Bavius Blue (Pseudophilotes bavius), Green-underside Blue (Glaucopsyche alexis) and the Dusky Large Blue (Glaucopsyche nausithous). Though some of these species have either become extinct in Europe or are seriously endangered, they continue to thrive in many beautiful natural areas of Artvin, which still remain relatively unspoiled by agriculture, construction of dams, roads and buildings, and excessive use of pesticides and herbicides. However, it is a fact that projects such as the large dam planned to be built in Yusufeli will have a negative impact not only on our cultural but also on our entire natural heritage, including butterflies.

Finally, it must be added that several species of butterflies--while neither endemic to Turkey nor threatened or endangered—have been seen only in Artvin province in Turkey. For example, during the last century, False Comma (Nymphalis vaualbum), a widespread species in northern Europe and North America, has been recorded in Turkey only around Meydancık in the province of Artvin. Also, in 1999 a Georgian Tawny Rockbrown (Psuedochazara gruensis) has been seen for the first time in Turkey, at an altitude of 2400m at the foothills of the Kackar Mountains.

List of Species