Bridge over a river to a limestone mountain forest in Vang Vieng, Vientiane province, Laos
Bridge over a river to a limestone mountain forest in Vang Vieng, Vientiane province, Laos

These was a interesting trip with my friends Dr. Karel Cerny (Innsbruck/Austria) and Dr. Milan Hluchy (Modrice/Czech Republic) to nothern Laos and we start in Vang Vien. There was a dry Riverbed where we can go by car to a forest clearing surrounded by limestone mountain.

Mountains near Phou Khoun, Louang Prabang province, Laos
Mountains near Phou Khoun, Louang Prabang province, Laos

The next day we stay near Phu Khun in Pak Gaeng Yai a small hill tribe village. There was a large amount of sphingidae moths on the light trap. These mountain around are sometimes limestone but also many deforested mountains. 

Deforested mountains near Louang Prabang, Laos
Deforested mountains near Louang Prabang, Laos

Then we drive more north to the old capital Louang Prabang where we stop to visit the old town with the former kings palace, at evening we lock for a place for our light trap but is was difficult because their also many mountains are deforested. We have to drive about 150 km to find some remains of the forest.

There was a nice place with much Sphingids and Saturnids on the light trap. 

A small forest edge near Ban Namly, Oudomxai province, Laos
A small forest edge near Ban Namly, Oudomxai province, Laos

More in the north it was again difficult to find some forest there was also many mountains deforested but we found a small riverbed with some forest remains near a hill tribe village.

There was also some interesting moths on the light trap.

View over Phongsaly-City, Laos
View over Phongsaly-City, Laos

The end destination of our trip was Phongsali near the chinese border. We visit some hill tribe market to by some food. Here we found some good places still with forest but on the way there was also much deforested.

Our camping place near Ban Yo, Phongsaly province, Laos
Our camping place near Ban Yo, Phongsaly province, Laos

On the way back from Phongsali there was a nice plateau near a hill tribe village Ban Yo surrounded by forest...our best place from the trip with a large amount of moths on the light trap.

Mountains near Ban Aya, Phongsaly province, Laos
Mountains near Ban Aya, Phongsaly province, Laos

One of our last places in the north of Laos was also near a hill tribe village with some forest remains but also some deforested mountains.

These Trip in Laos was very interesting but also frightening because of the very fast deforesting of the mountains. The places will get dry and hot and also dangerous about landslide.

Archaeoattacus edwardsii (White 1859)
Archaeoattacus edwardsii (White 1859)
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