Painted Lady influx!!!

[thepostieles]

saw 25 painted ladies today while on post, 1 orange tip and some whites, in little sutton, nr ellesmere port

[Dave McCormick]

They are here, and they won't stop coming! No matter ehre I have been today I saw them. 10+ at my grans, 1 here where I live, 2 at a flowery patch at a roadside and 20+ at a new wildlife area at an industrial estate about 12 miles away from where I live and as I was coming home I kept seeing one or two every so often. Yeah I can now see what its like to see them. A few pics, not over good as I was kinda excited and could not get good shots:





When I was at the industrial estate, the new wildlife area, I thought I saw a fritillary at first, and my dad said it was one, but when we got close enough it was painted lady and then we kept seeing more and more, flying like rockets.

[Dave McCormick]

Just outside again counting what I was seeing and it was astonishing, 10 every few yards! Just got these:



Close up (was sucking moisture of a wall while sunning itself:


I got a video too which I'll upload soon when I get a chance.

And I saw something that looked like a hummingbird hawk moth in same area and several silver y moths.

Update: Just saw two thrushes chasing after one painted lady in my garden, it looked too fast for the thrushes to get though.

[Shirley Roulston]

Hundreds in a Sycamore tree this morning, they were after the flowers on the tree, the branches were hanging with them and this afternoon they were flying across the sands from off the grassy cliffs at Porth Dinllaen.
Shirley

[Susie]

Numbers were right down here today with only single sightings of PLs. Once I was chuffed with seeing one a year, now I'm not happy unless I see them by the dozen simultaneously. I think I've been spoilt.

[Algol]

seen one yesterday in bickershaw near to wigan/bolton

was quite windy though so couldn't get a great shot of it

[Dave McCormick]

About 70 here now. Mostly feeding on red valerian and chasing small whites about. Seems a lot of swallows in this area, but I am not sure if they are getting any of the painted ladies. Also saw the silver y moths again that arrived, they were resting in cracks in the wall nearby.



A underside shot of head:

Underside of Painted Lady head

On road:




Closeup of wing:

[sarahrookley]

.... and suddenly, today, they've almost all disappeared (Isle of Wight). Just a couple, but nowhere near the numbers from the previous week. Come on - 'fess up - who's got them?!

[Dave McCormick]

.... and suddenly, today, they've almost all disappeared (Isle of Wight). Just a couple, but nowhere near the numbers from the previous week. Come on - 'fess up - who's got them?!

Knowing what its like here, we probably got them. usually where I live (Judging by previous good years) they usually feed up here and start breeding on the ample amounts of thistles everywhere, so like the Silver Y moths, if they are here, they will probably stay. In 2006 there was quite a lot here and they bred and I found hundreds of Painted Lady caterpillars on thistles here.

Not sure if they will travel any farther than Ireland. I have seen clouded yellows here in good numbers in 2006, they stayed for July-August.

[nick patel]

Probably insignificant to the amount entering the country, but recently in all this movement i have (and a few other people i have heard of) come across numerous dead p. ladies roadside having been hit by traffic on their journeys.

anyone else seen much of this.

[Pete Eeles]

.... and suddenly, today, they've almost all disappeared (Isle of Wight). Just a couple, but nowhere near the numbers from the previous week. Come on - 'fess up - who's got them?!

I suspect they travel in "waves" and, depending where your are in the country, will either see the crest of the wave or not

But I'm sure a large proportion have ended their journey and are in the process of finding a mate and egg-laying. The middle of July should start to see the next generation emerge - which I'm hoping will be an even greater spectacle!

Cheers,

- Pete

[Dave McCormick]

But I'm sure a large proportion have ended their journey and are in the process of finding a mate and egg-laying. The middle of July should start to see the next generation emerge - which I'm hoping will be an even greater spectacle!

I can guess your right, they had a long journey and must be getting slowly near the end of their life. I have seen quite a few trying to court, so they must be getting ready to mate here.

Probably insignificant to the amount entering the country, but recently in all this movement i have (and a few other people i have heard of) come across numerous dead p. ladies roadside having been hit by traffic on their journeys.

I have noticed that Painted Ladies like basking on the ground when the sun is on them. Seen this quite a few times today, they like basking on rocks, walls and anywhere like that in the path of the sun, could be what the dead ones were doing, plus being old ad worn from their long journies might not make them as quick t react as fresher individuals would.

[thepostieles]

saw afew more today

[Jack Harrison]

thepostiles:

saw afew more today

But not while delivering mail on a Sunday I would presume?

Certainly on our journey on Thursday from The Broads to Cambridge, we hit one or two. But with some 30 per minute crossing our path, it was inevitable.

Jack

[Markulous]

Well, at last I had a Painted Lady drop in for a visit today!

[thepostieles]

no jacktar, saw a couple while shoppin in morrisons

[ianc]

Painted Ladies,
Good numbers are now being reported here in Cumbria though mainly coastal a few have been seen inland.
Ian C

[Dave McCormick]

Wonder if anyone knows... where are the painted ladies going? They must stop somewhere. I was thinking they would stop here in Ireland but I don't really know. I am guessing they will remain here because of the abundance of foodplants (thistles) and flowers.

[Sylvie_h]

My first sighting of Painted ladies was in Sardinia first week of April this year and I was amazed to see so many so early in the year. After reading this thread I understand why.
I was in Horton (South Gower) yesterday and I counted 5 on the sea front. Amazing!! I can recall seeing only 2 last year (one in a bad condition) during the whole year. Also seen yesterday were common blues and brown argus. Are we heading toward a nice summer ? I sincerely hope so!
Sylvie

[Annie]

Only two seen today. BBC West had a little bit on their 7.55am news bulletin about the migration, accompanied by pictures of Large Blues. Good to see they've done their research!