Painted Lady influx!!!

[NickB]

http://www.ephotozine.com/article/Nikon ... IF-ED-4319
and
http://www.jckrause.com/nikon_af200_4d.html
Settings ISO 200 f8 @1/500th, -1 ve
N

[Zonda]

Cheers for that Nick. I might be purchasing one quite soon. Although tripod work does take me back to my fungi days, a bit.

[NickB]

Onestop Digital (based in HK but guarantee no UK taxes) have it at c £875 new - a substantial difference compared to UK...
http://www.onestop-digital.com/catalog/

Oh - monopod is good enough; can usually play with the ISO to get fast enough speeds....

[Piers]

Cornish contacts report a 'notable' increase in Painted Lady numbers on Scilly in recent days. Possible evidence of an attempt at southerly migration?

Felix.

[Piers]

A small number of PL's observed in Cornwall flying south out to sea in the lee of the Gribbin Headland.

Felix.

[Vince Massimo]

Hi all,

Just a quick update on a Painted Lady larva I rescued from my local site in Chaldon, Surrey on 27th September. It was half grown at the time and I took it home to keep it safe. It has been kept outside in a sheltered position for most of the time in order to let it develop naturally, but on occasions of severe weather it was given extra protection. It has grown very slowly in the cooler Autumnal conditions and has only just pupated today. It will now be kept in the conservatory until it hatches and hopefully it will emerge on a sunny day when it can be released. No photos just yet because I do not want to disturb it.

Painted Lady sightings continue to appear on the Sussex pages, including a report by Dave Harris on 30th October of egglaying activity in Newhaven. In this case the larval foodplant was Mallow.

Cheers,

Vince

[Zonda]

Two,,, very flappy and seemingly desperate Painted ladies, and a Red Admiral in my garden today, but hey,,, this is nature. (sobs)

[Vince Massimo]

Hi all,

Here are the promised photographs of the Painted Lady that I have been looking after. The larva was taken on 22nd October and the pupa today. This is probably one of the last of the species that are likely to hatch this season, bringing to an end an amazing story.

Yesterday I had a sighting of an adult basking on my driveway here in Caterham, Surrey.

Cheers,

Vince

[Piers]

Has anyone seen any PL's appearing to be attempting hibernation yet? They have been recorded to have overwintered successfully in the UK before, so there's certainly no reason to think that hibernation won't be attempted by at least a few of the remaining individuals. It would be interesting to hear if anyone has seen a Painted Lady roosting in their shed/outhouse etc. or witnessed behaviour that looks like a butterfly seeking a winter roost site.

Felix.

[geniculata]

hi felix,

found this one today busy nectaring on hebe down on the coast in highcliffe in a garden.
something i have noticed with them in the last few weeks is a change in behaviour from being very approachable, to very skittish and hard to get near to even with their heads down when nectaring.
still seeing a few around with 3 on tuesday in one garden.

gary.

[Denise]

I just found a Painted Lady on the net curtain in the corner of my bedroom window.
It's chucking it down here so it might have just been looking for shelter, although saying that, it was in shut down mode and didn't attempt to fly when I moved the curtain. I will wait for the rain to go off and move it.

Denise

[Zonda]

Geniculata said:

something i have noticed with them in the last few weeks is a change in behaviour from being very approachable, to very skittish and hard to get near to

Me too,,,and also the other species of late butterflies. They are very mobile.

[Vince Massimo]

Hi all,

Final update on the Painted Lady pupa. Following a sudden colour change in the last few days, an adult emerged this morning. Fortunately the weather was fine so I left it in a sheltered sunny spot in the garden. This is possibly the last of the many.

Cheers,

Vince

[Lee Hurrell]

Lovely photos Vince!
Let's hope the little fella makes it to warmer climes. Mind you, it is supposed to be quite mild this week.
Cheers
Lee

[Zonda]

Quite sad innit? Nice pics Vince.

[Matsukaze]

How long would it take the butterfly to get from Surrey to the Mediterranean?

[geniculata]

wonderful pics vince!

here's one i watched on and off for most of the day today in a garden in the newforest. probably the last ill see this year

gary.

[Dave McCormick]

Nice pics Vince. Have not seen a Painted Lady since September or so, seems they are practically gone from here.

Let's hope the little fella makes it to warmer climes. Mind you, it is supposed to be quite mild this week.

Mild? Here is supposed to have bad rain all week. Probably why I have seen no butterflies in weeks.

[Padfield]

The last painted ladies I saw in the Rhône Valley (CH) were on Oct.19th. I saw red admirals as recently as last Saturday, but the ladies seem all to have disappeared. This Saturday is forecast to be warm and sunny so I'll do a final hunt then. If I see one that looks like yours, Vince, flapping hopefully southward,I'll let you know. This week has been very warm, but that's because the south wind has been blowing, which would make your friend's progress all the harder.

Guy

[thepostieles]

great pics vince, hope the pl makes the long trip sth, or finds shelter 4 winter