Painted Lady Invasion

Large number of Painted Lady expected in UK

The UK is braced for a once in a decade occasion as an influx of Painted Ladies are expected to arrive in the UK at any moment after unusually high numbers of the orange and black butterflies have been amassing in southern Europe.
The butterfly is a common immigrant that migrates in varying numbers from the continent to the UK each summer, where its caterpillars feed on thistles. But around once every 10 years the UK experiences a Painted Lady ‘summer’ when millions of the butterflies arrive en masse.
The last mass immigration took place in 2009 when around 11 million Painted Ladies descended widely across the UK with the butterflies spreading into the most northerly parts of Scotland. Since then the UK has experienced five years with below average numbers but scientists are hopeful that 2015 could be very different.
Painted Ladies are experiencing their best year on the continent since 2009. The offspring of these butterflies could be UK bound imminently. Butterfly Conservation reported that some butterflies arrived during mid-May, but a spell of poor weather temporarily halted the immigration.
Recent warm sunny conditions have seen Painted Lady numbers soar once again with reports of large numbers of the butterflies seen at south coast sites – suggesting a large scale immigration may once again be about to take place.
Butterfly Conservation is asking for the public to record sightings of the butterfly to help chart the progress of any potential immigration during the summer.

Richard Fox, Butterfly Conservation Head of Recording explained: “The Painted Lady migration is one of the real wonders of the natural world. Travelling up to 1km in the sky and at speeds of up to 30 miles-per-hour these small fragile-seeming creatures migrate hundreds of miles to reach our shores each year, even though none of the individual butterflies has ever made the trip before.”
The Painted Lady undertakes a phenomenal 9,000 mile round trip from tropical Africa to the Arctic Circle each year – almost double the length of the famous migrations of the Monarch butterfly in North America.
Research using citizen science sightings from the 2009 migration revealed that the whole journey is not undertaken by individual butterflies but in a series of steps by up to six successive generations.
Radar studies revealed that after successfully breeding in the UK in 2009 more than 26 million Painted Ladies returned south in the autumn, many flying high in the sky out of the sight of human observers.
Painted Lady sightings can be recorded via Butterfly Conservation’s Migrant Watch scheme.

WS

WS - we've plenty of butterflies so I must and take a look to see what they are.

Lai

I read this the other day and meant to comment but forgot,  then yesterday as I was letting Nero in from the garden, I thought whats that on the roof of my summer house? Got my camera and zoomed in and it was a painted lady She was just resting there with her wings spread out so I took a few pictures, it was hard to aim and focus as my arms were a bit wobbly but you can clearly see its a painted lady when I down load my photos I will come back here and post one or two but I wanted to let you know I had seen one and the articles right as im on the South Coast

littlewid-x-

Littlewid. I did the butterfly count the other day and funnily enough no painted ladies but lots of others Last year we had plenty!

Lai

Not seen hardly any Butterflys here temps are to low all summer with lots of winds

WS

I hadn't realised it was the butterfly count but to be honest, apart from this painted lady I haven't seen many more which is a shame. I did see one the other week whilst walking Nero but im not too sure what it was. Im hoping to get my pics downloaded tomorrow so I will post my painted Lady.
Shame you havent seen any this year WS. We haven't had too bad temps, it has been up and down a bit but yes we have had the wind too, it never seems to be still does it.

littlewid-x-

Ok, not a fantastically focused photo but it was the evening and I was just about to walk Nero when I saw this lovely painted lady on my summer house roof. I was determined to get a photo before she flew away as she was warming her wings in the sun, so with speedy snapping and wobbly arms, here she is   ......actually read to the bottom guys




Just realised this is a Red Admiral......I got over excited but if you spotted that before you read this bit.......then well done your a and passed the test .......but I am the numpty who has to stand in the corner
littlewid-x-

Littlewid, that did make me chuckle but in a nice way, I had spotted the Painted Lady/Red Admiral I have to confess I really struggle with ID ing butterflies but well done for getting a photo, they never normally stay still for long enough!

Lai