Painted Ladies

[Mungo]

This is so exciting

Lovely pictures folks

[Wild-Woman]

Yesterday (26th May 09) I witnessed with a friend, something that I've never seen before. Literally 1000's (yes thousands) of Painted Ladies along the coastline between St Margarets and Kingsdown in Kent. As we walked, clouds of them rose up from the pathway and we had to be careful not to tread on them.
As I've mentioned earlier in this thread, the day before we saw hundreds, near Hastings, but this was a significantly larger, many times larger. It was an amazing experience.
Hopefully with all these butterflies arriving, all the country will get the pleasure of their company.

[Lord V]

Had my own mini invasion yesterday in the garden with about 20 of them fluttering around and feeding - Worthing South coast

Loads of pics here Flickr: Lord V's Photostream

Brian V.

[harasseddad]

Originally Posted by Cheryl

I've never ever seen so many - we've had one or two every year or so but I can never remember so many as this year - does any one know why we are getting so many this year (not that I'm complaining )

Global warming - the weather in the Atlas mountains was exceptionally wet, producing abundent flowers. This allowed populations to build up. Normally they migrate to southern europe, breed there and we get an influx of that european generation in July. This year we're getting to overflow because europe is full! If you think there's a lot now, imagine what July will bring if all those in europe now succeed in breeding!

[Dan Salter]

Originally Posted by Susie

Despite torrential rain this morning this afternoon the sun came out and so did the painted ladies enmasse.

Here are just a few from my garden this afternoon.

Susiewusie...what plant is that? it looks like honesty which is not fair as mine has gone to seed already? x

[Susie]

That is a perennial wallflower called "bowles mauve", Dan. The PLs seem to love it. They are also feeding on sweet rocket, ordinary wallflowers, catmint, and forgetmenots but seem to give most things a go. They have even been feeding on columbine and clematis. I know they are supposed to like red valerian but they haven't touched mine yet.

My honesty has gone to seed too, although there are still a few flowers hanging on.

[Pigeon feather]

I saw a painted lady flutter past my bus in Ashford, Kent on my way to work yesterday afternoon

[Naturenutz]

Ive noticed they are often flying very fast and above head height when on the move so i excpect many are missed passing through . They look very light brown/beige in colour on the wing.Keep em coming

[Susie]

Apparently there are many millions of them heading northwards. The influx is due to good winter rains over the Atlas Mountains in North Africa which has resulted in a bumper brood of painted ladies this year heading northwards in a search for new breeding territories. Obviously these will produce young of their own and I understand that in good conditions a new brood of PLs can grow to adult-hood in a month so we should have many fresh, large, painted ladies of our own throughout the coming summer. Bliss!

[James M]

Excellent! I've been waiting for a good Painted Lady year, how does this live up to the standards of 96 so far?

I know it's a bit late in the year to start planting, but are there any quick flowering options I could bring into the garden to attract them? Our garden is a bit sparse on plants atm and I normally rely on our buddleia's to attract the butterflies but while I was away this earlier this year my dad hacked them to the ground a bit too much (I know they will grow back eventually, as they are quite hardy, but perhaps not in time for this summer). Any advice would be appreciated as I am quite keen to see this spectacle.