Paros Butterflly Valley

Petaloudhes (Valley of the Butterflies)

Buses go regularly in season to this Valley of the Butterflies, which is one of the major tourist attractions on the island. Here, millions of Jersey moths (they’re not really butterflies) delight the crowds when they fly upward, displaying the red undersides of their wings. Their numbers, which are greatest in May and June, have diminished, however, and tourists have been asked to refrain from clapping their hands and making loud sounds to startle the moths into the air, resulting in a loss of precious bodily energy needed for mating, which is the reason that the moths are here.