Not one of the long distance travellers but an offspring. 2019 is, in some areas, a massive irruption year. Here in Fulford, York, 8 is the most I've seen. In 1996 York was Painted Lady heaven, we couldn't move easily for fear of hurting them, their numbers were so great.
There is still time and lots of hope...
030819FZ1K030819
Doggie mummy living in ancient York, Yorkshire, England.
Joined 1st Jan 2018
1st Jan 2024 have achieved 196%
28 March 2024 200%
I take photos, am not a photographer.
Interested...
What a beauty and you have photographed it so well.Fav. I must have seen dozens in each sighting in my garden. Interesting that the long distance travel part of the story that's told about them is not the individual butterfly's story because the round trip takes place over several generations. What's likely to be the story of one individual like this?
@lostphojo This one is home grown although it is thought that some individuals DO make the entire Africa to Europe trip. Such a butterfly would be dreadfully bruised and battered. They don't "fly" all the way, they've been recorded catching appropriate winds and letting the wind do the hard work high in the sky. It was thought they simply died when they reached Britain (some go further, even to Iceland) but in 2009 a startling revelation. Radar, Uni research, weather researchers...all cooperated to verify that belief. One day my hubby saw a huge cloud of butterflies (powerful binoculars) flying south. Radar detected similar events. Now it is known they come to Britain and then go back in autumn. Astonishing. It's a longer journey than the famous Monarchs' without the winter stop over in Mexico .
thanks for your interest
j
@jesika2 Really interesting... Amazing that they can do all that. I really appreciate that you have taken the trouble to respond so thoroughly. Thank you so much.
I submit many of my photos to “Butterflies & Moths of North America” for identification/confirmation. After many submissions, I realized that there's a line on the sighting page to indicate whether the species is a “Resident” or “Temporary Colonist” in my area. One year I saw quite a few “Common Buckeyes.” A subsequent year, none. Then I finally saw that Common Buckeyes are Temporary Colonists in my area. Some years they get this far out of their permanent range and other years they do not. It's all about where the food is (not surprisingly)!
@rhoing I wonder if you have something similar to our Butterfly Conservation Society? Recorders, I am one, send details of butterflies & moths seen with numbers, sites, weather conditions to our local branch and eventually all records are collated. This provides accurate information about trends and health of species. We can see great change in recent years, mostly unfortunately, in decline. But also in the south of England, some species long lost seem to visiting and possibly breeding. A Monarch was seen on the most western part of Cornwall. It will have been blown across the Atlantic in the last storm. Sadly it will be unable to survive, Cornwall in winter will be much colder than the Mexican pine forests. j
@jesika2 There *are* organizations here that track and collate. Since you & I both see the Painted Lady species, see the maps on these pages at sites where I am registered and contribute:
» https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Vanessa-cardui
» https://bugguide.net/node/view/2649/data
There *is* particular concern about Monarchs in the U.S. right now. :(
I get excited about seeing a Monarch because (a) they're beautiful and (b) I don't live sufficiently south or near a coast to see the really beautiful tropical species. So I'm jealous: you have posted some stunning species I don't see here (Camberwell Beauty/Nymphalis antiopa; Gatekeeper/Pyronia tithonus; and even your damaged Peacock/Aglais io).
@rhoing 4 yrs go I was planning my trip to California. High on my must see list was a whale (saw a fin!) and of course, the Monarchs. At Arden Wood there were 1500 and at Pacific Grove (Monterey) 15,000. I understand last yr the whole state had fewer than 15,000 overwintering. Intensive farming, insecticides, destruction of habitat, weed killers, a sad & familiar story. But there is a concerted effort to help these beautiful insects and also as a knock on effect, other species. Read “Dust” by Charles Pellegrino. Scary stuff. BTW, Camberwell Beauty is a once in a life time sighting and many lepidopterists never see one in Britain. j
October 8th, 2019
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thanks for your interest
j
I submit many of my photos to “Butterflies & Moths of North America” for identification/confirmation. After many submissions, I realized that there's a line on the sighting page to indicate whether the species is a “Resident” or “Temporary Colonist” in my area. One year I saw quite a few “Common Buckeyes.” A subsequent year, none. Then I finally saw that Common Buckeyes are Temporary Colonists in my area. Some years they get this far out of their permanent range and other years they do not. It's all about where the food is (not surprisingly)!
» https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Vanessa-cardui
» https://bugguide.net/node/view/2649/data
There *is* particular concern about Monarchs in the U.S. right now. :(
I get excited about seeing a Monarch because (a) they're beautiful and (b) I don't live sufficiently south or near a coast to see the really beautiful tropical species. So I'm jealous: you have posted some stunning species I don't see here (Camberwell Beauty/Nymphalis antiopa; Gatekeeper/Pyronia tithonus; and even your damaged Peacock/Aglais io).