Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Painted lady



This was the first painted lady butterfly that I've seen here in the North East this year. I saw one last year but didn't manage to get a photo - this one was more obliging.























It was nectaring mainly on knapweed and thistles, on the hill to the north of Blanchland in Northumberland.


















It's a long time now since we've had a full-scale painted lady invasion here. I think the last one was in 2009, when they arrived in late spring and produced a second generation, so that by early September there were hundreds of them - so many that it was reported in the national press.

6 comments:

  1. I have yet to see one this year ... but it's been a good year for some other butterflies, especially Skippers in my Suffolk garden.

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    1. Large numbers of peacocks here, and good to see a few more wall butterflies around than of late

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  2. I noted about 200 Peacocks on sunny woodland margins of the North York Moors earlier this month, along with a few Small Tortoiseshells and a solitary Red Admiral. Haven't seen a single Painted Lady this year.

    Ted

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    1. Surprised to see quite a lot of peacocks on heather moorland in Northumberland this week. Several on the marjoram flowering in our garden too

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  3. I have still failed to see one, ever.

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    1. Really hope one flutters in your direction soon - lovely butterflies

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