Painted Ladies

[Susie]

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by Susie

Lovely photo Susie

[Susie]

Thank you. It's a lovely butterfly and a pleasure to see. Looks like we are going to be in for a good year for them if this influx breed.

The one in the garden yesterday and the two today were hanging around the giant thistle plant when they weren't feeding on perenial wallflower (bowles mauve) or basking on the gravel so I live in hope of finding eggs.

[harasseddad]

A report from calais had a steady flow streaming out to sea yesterday, so I imagine Dover should have loads today.

[Wild-Woman]

Excellent. I can remember sitting on a beach at Boulogne (day trip across the Channel) watching hundreds cross the sand, just above head height, flying out to sea. That was the summer of 2006. A great butterfly year as I recall.

[ellen h]

Saw another one today which I managed to photograph-after following it for about five minutes!!
ellen

[GuyF]

There seems to have been a major movement in my area of Dorset today, I saw one in the garden but around 6 more flying rapidly North over it. Also while at a nearby reserve there were a lot of Painted Ladies all purposefully flying through, occasionally stopping to grab some nectar. Last year I only saw 2, so this is certainly an improvement!
Guy

[Cheryl]

We've had quite a number here too

[aeshna5]

Several in Ashdown Forest today.

[harasseddad]

A report from Italy yesterday reporting huge numbers flying North, and another from Spain with "hundreds of thousands". The South coast could be heaving shortly if they make it this far.