Butterfly Tour Report Ghana 26 Okt-7 Nov Larsen Sáfián BCGHANA

Conclusion
The weather was unfortunately not helpful. Though the number of species recorded was quite
satisfactory, the number of individuals on the wing was rather low. Late October/early
November is usually a good period but the timing of rainfall has been increasingly erratic in
recent years. However, overall the trip should have given a good impression of the butterflies
of the West African rainforest zone, with the day in the Shai Hills savannah showing the
amazing contrast with the rainforest zone.
Most participants have placed their pictures at the disposal of Butterfly Conservation, Ghana
and they will gradually be integrated into the website on Ghana butterflies
(ghanabutterflies.uw.hu), as well as being used in publicity work and in popular science
articles. A number of excellent photographs of Hesperiidae, that really capture the “essence”
of some of these interesting butterflies, will be figured in Larsen’s proposed book on the
“Skipper Butterflies of the Afrotropical Region”, probably not this one…
Photo: David Dennis
And last but not least Torben B. Larsen and Szabolcs Sáfián would like to thank all
participants the enthusiasm for butterflies and the genuine interest in their conservation they
have expressed during the trip. It is very encouraging that butterfly-based eco-tourism might
prove to be a practical tool to save rainforests and other important habitats in tropical Africa.