Painted Ladies

Maiden · #**291** (**permalink**) 14-08-2009, 05:44 PM

We have had hundreds of Painted Ladies here in North Wales. Settled in a meadow.The event was broadcast on tv.

I had never seen one before. It seems they are doing well.

blacknest · #**292** (**permalink**) 15-08-2009, 03:49 PM

Lots of second brood up in Binsted yesterday....this may be dumb and already covered numerous times in the thread...but come the winter what happens? Is there a mass migration back to North Africa?

Susie · #**293** (**permalink**) 16-08-2009, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Abraxus

I have noticed that. In certain species there is quite a large variability. You certainly see it with Large Whites.
I was discussing Silver Y moths on another site yesterday. You can get very small versions of that occasionally and that apparantly is a distinct recognised form

I saw an example of this today. The majority of painted ladies on the buddleia were standard size but one was easily less than half the average size; I've never seen anything quite like it. It was very fresh and perfect in every way, just in minature.

cutecoot · #**294** (**permalink**) 17-08-2009, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Susie

..one was easily less than half the average size; I've never seen anything quite like it. It was very fresh and perfect in every way, just in minature.

Sounds really cute, Susie!

WhiskyBottle · #**295** (**permalink**) 18-08-2009, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blacknest

Lots of second brood up in Binsted yesterday....this may be dumb and already covered numerous times in the thread...but come the winter what happens? Is there a mass migration back to North Africa?

I believe a return migration is attempted but not normally successfull.

I was on the Ridgeway in Oxfordshire yesterday. Lots of painted ladies but they were in poor condition. One only had three wings.

Interesting that others are also seeing these miniture painted ladies.

blacknest · #**296** (**permalink**) 21-08-2009, 07:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhiskyBottle

I believe a return migration is attempted but not normally successfull.

Thanks WhiskyBottle. And none sucessfully overwinter I'm pretty sure.

So how does this make evolutionary sense? You have a huge poulation explosion & go to great effort to spread to new areas where you produce lots of happy, healthy young... who all die!
You'd think the pressure of selection would eventually limit them mainly to ones who lack the desire to roam quite so far and restrict their wanderings to places whence they can get back successfully to the winrtering range.

Fascinating
. Any answers anyone?

PS lots of big bright ones at Minsmere ,Suffolk day before yesterday. I did see the "dinky" ones in Northumberland ,but not yet in the South, but I'll look out

col188 · #**297** (**permalink**) 21-08-2009, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blacknest

Thanks WhiskyBottle. And none sucessfully overwinter I'm pretty sure.

So how does this make evolutionary sense? You have a huge poulation explosion & go to great effort to spread to new areas where you produce lots of happy, healthy young... who all die!
You'd think the pressure of selection would eventually limit them mainly to ones who lack the desire to roam quite so far and restrict their wanderings to places whence they can get back successfully to the winrtering range.

Fascinating
. Any answers anyone?

PS lots of big bright ones at Minsmere ,Suffolk day before yesterday. I did see the "dinky" ones in Northumberland ,but not yet in the South, but I'll look out

Silly as it seems, I imagine, they migrate because of food availability and numbers bred. With milder winters, some may successfully over winter here, and breed next year.
Do they attempt too, and fail because of cold.
Evolution must go on all the time, even today

Col

Apache64 · #**298** (**permalink**) 22-08-2009, 06:16 PM

This rather battered specimen was quite a poser and hung around for a good 10 minutes. This was the best of the pics I managed to get as it did not stay still, tripping from one plant to the next and I'm not used to my camera at all yet. Up in the North West near Bolton.

BloomingMarvellous · #**299** (**permalink**) 22-08-2009, 11:24 PM

Took this last Monday whilst in Pool Yorkshire, looking for the disused Railway line that we found,

Paul_Corfield · #**300** (**permalink**) 23-08-2009, 09:53 AM

Just spent a couple of weeks holidaying at a farm in Warwickshire. We had a Buddleia in the cottage garden and all day long there were Hornets patrolling the flowers and taking butterflies when they could. In the first photo the Hornet landed right on the butterfly and they both fell to the ground. The Hornet quickly stung the butterfly and then flew off with it back to the nest. In the second photo luckily both butterflies escaped. Also noticed other insects being captured like flies and bees.

Paul.