www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

On 26th January 2024 I was walking with a small group of transect walkers at Southbourne Undercliff, Bournemouth, we were doing a reccy for a new 2024 transect. Along the route we were stopping and noting various plants to complement the survey information. Suddenly a rather tatty but bright Painted Lady dropped down in front of three of us on the slope, it only paused for a couple of seconds and then flew off towards Hengistbury Head. It was not relocated. I put the news out on WhatsApp and Twitter (X) and heard another had been seen flying through a central Christchurch garden nearby, the same day. Later I was contacted on X to tell me of one photographed on the Isles of Scilly that day. Since then Painted Ladies have been seen at Arne, Dorset, and Ferrybridge, Weymouth along with another on the Sussex web site. These seem likely to be early incoming migrants especially with the warm conditions in southern Europe. Interestingly all I've seen pictures of have been pretty bright and not a pale faded pink colour. The last time I remember seeing winter Painted Ladies was when I was searching for a Little Bustard in the Avon Valley during December 87/January 88 when I saw 2 or 3. It will be interesting to see if any more are reported early year.

Mike Gibbons

Interesting, Mike.

I saw a distinctly unseasonal hummingbird hawk moth this afternoon. I wondered when it had come over here. Perhaps it was part of that migration?

Given that there has been an almost constant run of warm south-westerly winds for over a fortnight (and record-breaking temperatures in Spain), I suppose it isn't surprising that a few migrants have headed north with the wind behind them. Increasing day length may also be a trigger, so if the southward migration last autumn didn't take them all the way back to North Africa and they stopped further north in Europe then they wouldn't have had so far to come to reach us.

2024 is barely underway, but has already surprised us - mating Red Admirals and a Painted Lady influx... What will be next I wonder!

Dave