Valle dei Molini (Valley of the Butterflies)

Valle dei Molini, the Valley of the Butterflies, is a small wooded ravine on Rhodes, near the village of Petaloudes, about 25 kilometres southwest of Rhodes Town. The Italian name means Valley of the Mills, given during the Italian administration of the Dodecanese, while the Greek name Petaloudes means butterflies. The valley is famous for the thousands of moths that gather here in summer, a rare natural sight in the Dodecanese.

The insects are not true butterflies but Jersey tiger moths, known by the Latin name Euplagia quadripunctaria. In the heat of the summer, they settle on the trunks and leaves of trees in the cool, damp valley. Their wings are black and cream striped on top, and when disturbed they flash orange-red underwings, which turns a tree trunk into a shimmering blur. During the day they rest almost motionless, so Visitors are asked to stay quiet and not to clap or shout, which would send them into the air and waste energy they need to survive until autumn.

Much of the shade comes from the oriental sweetgum, a tree whose resin has a vanilla-like scent that is thought to attract the moths. These tall trees line a small stream that runs through the gorge, and the water falls in little cascades beneath wooden footbridges. The microclimate is cooler and moister than the dry hillsides around it. Paths and steps lead up the valley through the trees, and in places they cross the stream on bridges. Near the top there is a small monastery, Kalopetra, with a courtyard and a view over the valley.

Summer is the time to go. The moths appear from about June and remain until around September, and the best chance of seeing large numbers is in the cooler hours of the morning or late afternoon. Outside this season, the valley is still a pleasant walk in the shade, but the moths are mostly absent. The site is managed with a ticket booth and a small cafe at the entrance, and a short loop through the lower valley takes less than an hour.

Wear shoes with grip, since steps and bridges are damp and slippery. Avoid touching the trees or moths, and please do not leave the paths. A tour bus often visits at midday, so a visit early or late in the day gives more peace. It is easily combined with a drive to the beaches of the west coast or with a visit to the nearby village of Paradisi.