Painted Lady migration (1 Viewer)

[aeshna5]

Many heading NW through west London- 2 briefly settled on flowers in my garden early evening.

 

[luke]

I had at least 25 at Symonds Yat in the forest of dean. I'll take more notice tommorow, as i wasn't really aware of this large influx.

 

[HarassedDad]

There's two waves involved so far. The early arrivals (last two weeks) were very pale and washed out - the more recent one's reported are pristine, very bright and colourful. So as well as numbers, a description of appearence would help track which wave is where. I'd expect the forest of dean one's to be the first wave, with the bright un's not yet at Herefordshire. And they're flying like bats out of hell cos there are even more behind them. The millions passing through italy can't have got here yet. Anyone remember the ladybirds in 1976?

 

[Adey Baker]

I know this will sound like a daft question...and i'm sure it is...but when are these hordes of butterflies actually going to put the brakes on and stop?!...[apart from when the sun goes down]! Majority we observed today were quite faded/abraded...so presume they have been flying a long time....and we did not witness a single one perched/resting anywhere...

I reckon that the first wave are 'on a mission' to find a patch of thistles and lay their eggs. The offspring of these will be much easier to get to grips with later in the summer.

For those who don't fully trust the met office, etc., for long-range weather predictions - are these better forecasters of a good summer? There were plenty around in 2006 but very few in the last couple of summers.

 

[username]

There's two waves involved so far. The early arrivals (last two weeks) were very pale and washed out - the more recent one's reported are pristine, very bright and colourful. So as well as numbers, a description of appearence would help track which wave is where. I'd expect the forest of dean one's to be the first wave, with the bright un's not yet at Herefordshire. And they're flying like bats out of hell cos there are even more behind them. The millions passing through italy can't have got here yet. Anyone remember the ladybirds in 1976?

The 'ones' today were, in the main, washed out worn individuals....although many were flying at such a rate it was nigh on impossible to see how 'pristine' they may have been. I hope at a later date we might find out on how broader front these butters were flying....always a joy to be in the middle of a migration...[unless itz locusts i suppose]. Last time i was this impressed with 'a migration', other than birds, was up at Flamborough some years back..[grt.s.cuckcoo]...when the area was saturated with tiger moths...all pretty amazing!

[ps...Tittletattler....gawd knows how many painted ladies are involved in this particular movement...my maths ain't that brilliant....hundreds o thousands?! a zillion?...let's just say 'shite loads'..that about covers it

 

[Irene Boston]

The ones yesterday in the area around Castle Rising and Shernbourne in NW Norfolk were all pale and washed out in colour.

In 2 hours at Castle Rising in the morning, I counted 74
In 90 mins in the Shernbourne area in the early afternoon, 91

All travelling roughly east west in the morning and more northerly in the afternoon.

 

[tittletattler]

[ps...Tittletattler....gawd knows how many painted ladies are involved in this particular movement...my maths ain't that brilliant....hundreds o thousands?! a zillion?...let's just say 'shite loads'..that about covers it

Yeah, sh*te loads sounds about right!

Or:

Say they were passing through Kent for 5 hours (when I first noticed it at 11am till 4pm) at 3 a minute and they were moving through at 400 metre intervals....

So, quick guess, 100 (miles-ish) x 4 x 5 x 60 x 3 = 360,000.

Now add on other counties!

 

[username]

Has this particular movement been an 'exceptional' one?...or have similar very large 'abrupt' migrations occurred with painted ladies in UK before?...[on 'this' sort of scale that is...whatever the final estimate may be...and i'll leave the numbers involved to more qualified data crunchers]!

 

[HarassedDad]

There's been others - last one was in 1996. Painted ladies are always migrants here, they can't survive the winter. They're continously brooded - that is they lay eggs, which hatch, feed, turn into adults, lay eggs, which hatch...
Since they don't hibernate they have to move to where there is food, so they migrate up into europe from north africa in the spring and then return in autumn. Normally the first movement stays in mainland europe, and we get the second brood in july. This year the spring brood was exceptionally sucessful due to wet weather in africa so they've carried on right up europe. As for the total number of painted ladies on the move at the moment - I'd guess around 100million - given that they have also had a good year in the US, with a major movement from mexico into california happening about a fortnight ago.

last year the weather in africa was bad and we got barely a handful into the uk - just goes to show how quickly populations can expand when each female can lay 400 eggs!

 

[Dave Hall]

Hi Yesterday in Crecy Forest in the Somme region of France we saw Thousands flying along the roads through the forest counted in 1 minute about 60 but they where going through all the time flocks of them never seen anything like it

 

[username]

There's been others - last one was in 1996. Painted ladies are always migrants here, they can't survive the winter. They're continously brooded - that is they lay eggs, which hatch, feed, turn into adults, lay eggs, which hatch...
Since they don't hibernate they have to move to where there is food, so they migrate up into europe from north africa in the spring and then return in autumn. Normally the first movement stays in mainland europe, and we get the second brood in july. This year the spring brood was exceptionally sucessful due to wet weather in africa so they've carried on right up europe. As for the total number of painted ladies on the move at the moment - I'd guess around 100million - given that they have also had a good year in the US, with a major movement from mexico into california happening about a fortnight ago.

last year the weather in africa was bad and we got barely a handful into the uk - just goes to show how quickly populations can expand when each female can lay 400 eggs!

Thanx for that info....very interesting! Out of even more interest...was the 1996 influx of 'similar' dimensions to the one we are experiencing now? As i am 'primarily' a birdman, [but one who is interested in all forms of wildlife], i cannot recall 'such' numbers in 1996...maybe my attention was elsewhere! [When you're interested in 'everything' it is difficult, at times, to know which way to look for fear of missing something]! Have been counting the 'ladies' today on my local patch.....approx 10 per minute in an acre field...heading NWW.....goodness knows how many i missed tho as they are flying very low over crops!

 

[aeshna5]

Large numbers in west London suburbs- as well as many flying through, many were nectaring on Red Clover, etc + these were all fresh looking individuals, not faded at all.

 

[Cheshire Birder]

Dozens apparently at Hilbre island today.

 

[Adey Baker]

Thanx for that info....very interesting! Out of even more interest...was the 1996 influx of 'similar' dimensions to the one we are experiencing now? As i am 'primarily' a birdman, [but one who is interested in all forms of wildlife], i cannot recall 'such' numbers in 1996...maybe my attention was elsewhere! [When you're interested in 'everything' it is difficult, at times, to know which way to look for fear of missing something]! Have been counting the 'ladies' today on my local patch.....approx 10 per minute in an acre field...heading NWW.....goodness knows how many i missed tho as they are flying very low over crops!

My notebook for that year records them locally from June 1st but my 'big' day was June 8th which is also my birthday. We went down to Sommerford Common in Wiltshire (Pearl-bordered, Marsh Frit and Duke of Burgundy etc) and the journey back up the Fosseway was remarkable for the continuous stream of them flying across the road all the way. My notebook says quite simply: 'Painted Lady (everywhere!).'

 

[username]

My notebook for that year records them locally from June 1st but my 'big' day was June 8th which is also my birthday. We went down to Sommerford Common in Wiltshire (Pearl-bordered, Marsh Frit and Duke of Burgundy etc) and the journey back up the Fosseway was remarkable for the continuous stream of them flying across the road all the way. My notebook says quite simply: 'Painted Lady (everywhere!).'

My attention must have been 'elsewhere'...it often is

 

[Colin]

Roughly 1 every 2 minutes for most of the day yesterday at Nagshead RSPB Reserve, Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire - yesterday and a few through Symonds Yat today. Probably saw more yesterday than I have ever seen all time.

 

[Adey Baker]

My attention must have been 'elsewhere'...it often is

Looking further into my 1996 records, there was no real gap in occurrences at all (apart from my annual holiday in July) until quite early in September with the last one being on Sept 13th.

I also had Clouded Yellows on June 9th and October 13th, so they might be worth keeping a look out for this year as well.

Wasn't 1996 also the year when all those Yellow-winged Darters appeared?

 

[username]

Looking further into my 1996 records, there was no real gap in occurrences at all (apart from my annual holiday in July) until quite early in September with the last one being on Sept 13th.

I also had Clouded Yellows on June 9th and October 13th, so they might be worth keeping a look out for this year as well.

Wasn't 1996 also the year when all those Yellow-winged Darters appeared?

Yep...i think so?....1996 rings a bell...yellow winged darter everywhere and i wasn't into dragonflies at the time....dohh:smoke:....oh well....maybe this year...

 

[Jos Stratford]

ps...hope you get 'em in Lithuania soon Jos....

Yep, me too.

Still none today, but can't moan - several Green Hairstreaks, plus couple of Swallowtails to compensate while I wait.

 

[aeshna5]

Yep...i think so?....1996 rings a bell...yellow winged darter everywhere and i wasn't into dragonflies at the time....dohh:smoke:....oh well....maybe this year...

1995 was the YW Darter big year!