www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Reports of strong migratory swarms of Painted Ladies in Spain. will the another year like the previous one.

Increase in reports of a few single (and on the Essex coast multiple) sightings of Painted Ladies in Cambs&Essex in the last week. I saw my first of the year on Saturday.
N
Which usually means that in about 6-8 weeks we see a good flush as their offspring emerge....in the last good year (2006 in Cambs) saw a few very battered specimens early in the season.

A couple of people reported seeing 11 and 7 painted ladies on Saturday down on the south coast area so there should be loads around

There was a PL in my back garden at lunchtime today. She settled down for a while but flew off when I got the camera out and did several strong laps of the garden before leaving. She did seem to pay special attention to the giant thistles so (fingers crossed) she may be back.

When I returned home from work yesterday I was lucky enough to be greeted by two Painted Ladies in my front garden. They were nectaring on Red Valerian but I was only able to get a photo of one on the ground, trying to shelter from the wind:

They're front page news out here now (I exaggerated a bit about the front page)! Even my non-butterfly friends have noticed them.

http://www.24heures.ch/vaud/actu/papill ... 2009-05-14

Guy

PS - those who don't read French can always get a (rough) translation through Google Translate. The above page is translated here:

http://translate.google.ch/translate?u= ... n&ie=UTF-8

Interesting that in the article they mention that it does in fact undertake a reverse migration in the Autumn.
I have to say, that is the first I have heard of this; can Guy comment?
As I understood, tho' the Red Admiral does this, I have not seen it said anywhere else that the Painted Lady also retreats as the temperatures drop in N. Europe...
N

This is an interesting point. An attempted reverse migration is certainly in the literature but my understanding is that it always fails; the gene pool of the resident North African population is unaffected by any of the selection pressures in northern Europe.

Guy

padfield wrote:...An attempted reverse migration is certainly in the literature but my understanding is that it always fails; Guy

Presumably this is because, unlike the other Nymphalidae, Painted Ladies have a much shorter life span...?
N

They live long enough to make the northward journey so longevity alone would seem insufficient to explain why their offspring can't make the southward journey.

It occurs to me that they normally fly north about a month before the solstice, whereas a southward migration might be closer to the equinox. Could the shorter daylight hours, as well perhaps as the lesser availability of nectar, affect their ability to cover the distance?

Guy

padfield wrote:They live long enough to make the northward journey so longevity alone would seem insufficient to explain why their offspring can't make the southward journey.
It occurs to me that they normally fly north about a month before the solstice, whereas a southward migration might be closer to the equinox. Could the shorter daylight hours, as well perhaps as the lesser availability of nectar, affect their ability to cover the distance?
Guy

..just a thought....I also guess that wind direction, with southerly winds in early summer a good predictor of their arrival, may also be against them making that return later in the year...?

I have had up to four Painted Ladies in my garden over the last three days - they love the Red Valerian.

I have read that they usually lay eggs on thistle plants so I am hopeful that I might find some on the Cirsium
Can anyone tell me if they lay on the upper or underside of leaves please?

Thanks

I've only seen them lay on the upperside of the leaves - but believe they will also lay on the undersides of leaves. I therefore wouldn't be surprised if they lay on the stems too

Cheers,

- Pete