Invertebrates

Besides its bird fauna, Lesvos is also regarded an ideal destination for three more flying animal watching: dragonflies, butterflies and wild bees. The dragonflies are found in fresh water wetlands, such as lakes, rivers, torrents, streams, coastline wetlands, etc. since in such wetland environments dragonflies spend the greatest part of their biological life cycle. Only the adult animal can survive far away from the water. The dragonfly species recorded on Lesvos have exceeded 40 and the list keeps getting longer. The major dragonfly species are: Epallage fatime, Lestes macrostigma, Orthretrum taeniolatum and Trithemis annulata.

The variety of butterflies and wild bees on the island is clearly associated with the Lesvian flora. More than 80 butterfly species, and an impressive number of wild bee species may exceed 550. It should be noted that the marine invertebrate noble pen shell (Pinna nobilis) is under threat throughout the Mediterranean Sea basin. Sizeable populations of this seashell are found in the Kalloni and Gera bays, but also in locations away from these gulfs, around the island. However, they have suffered much and their washed-up shells are mostly detected especially in and outside Kalloni Bay.