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.
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.
ReplyDeleteLarge numbers of peacocks here, and good to see a few more wall butterflies around than of late
DeleteI 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.
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Surprised to see quite a lot of peacocks on heather moorland in Northumberland this week. Several on the marjoram flowering in our garden too
DeleteI have still failed to see one, ever.
ReplyDeleteReally hope one flutters in your direction soon - lovely butterflies
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