PAINTED LADYS COMING THROUGH THE UK EN MASSE

Birderbryan · Status: Offline

PAINTED LADYS COMING THROUGH THE UK EN MASSE

Ina · Status: Offline

Hi Bryan
I've not long been back from the South of France, the painted lady's there were in treble figures almost every day. Looks like lt's going to be one of those years.
Ina

Birderbryan · Status: Offline

This mail has come through this morning (27th May 2009), which throws more light on the Painted Lady explosion....

Hi Dave et al,

In haste....Painted Lady Summary

· Phenomenal breeding season in the Atlas Mountains due to winter rain eg estimated 150,000 pupae in a single field.

· Mass dispersal north across Mediterranean from February.

· UK: Small numbers faded individuals reached UK April-mid May - widely scattered in one's and two's.

· Breeding of African winter brood in Southern Europe Feb onwards.

· Mainland Europe waves/pulses of northerly migration across the whole of Europe from February onwards Spain, France, Italy, Mediterranean Islands etc, in the preceding days and weeks, with arrivals in Northern France, Germany and the Netherlands the middle of last week.

· Stable isotope work confirms that they those sampled are from the Atlas Mountains.

· UK: 21st May first substantial arrival detected in the UK, at Portland Bill (~100).

· The big NW movement occurred 24/25 May when at a guess 10-50 million arrived, mainly fresh individuals (those that have bred in southern Europe) plus first generation faded African insects. Big counts all over southern Britain (~50,000 counted), especially East Anglia.

· Small numbers in Northern England but no large arrivals yet.should be any day

· Some starting to settle to breed eg in Cornwall., SW England

· Also involved in the migration Large Whites, Red Admirals, Clouded Yellows and Silver Y's

· Classic weather conditions for a large arrival over the Bank Holiday low pressure over Northern France feeding warmer air to Southern/Eastern England. Warm, sunny with easterly winds over Eastern Britain allowing butterflies to migrate strongly NW with a favourable tail wind.

· More are expected Thursday and Friday this week looks good for another immigration!

· Then we will have the offspring of this brood in July and August, so there should be huge numbers around I wouldn't like to be a thistle in August!

· This is a global phenomena - with a major movement from Mexico into California happening about a fortnight ago.

· Butterfly Conservation Press release tomorrow story may even be in the Sun.

· You can enter your sightings at http://www.butterfly-conservation.org/sightings_home/1095/migrant_watch.html

Cheers,

Tom Brereton

Ian Brady · Status: Offline

Today's Guardian newspaper has an article about this.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/may/27/painted-lady-butterflies-migration-britain

Ian

Birderbryan · Status: Offline

I have just put the below mail onto vismig:
a brilliant day (Friday 29th May 2009) at Gait Barrows also besides the Painted Ladies, Comma, Clouded Yellow, Grizzled Skipper, Pearl Bordered Frittilary, Large White, GV White, Orange Tip etc etc....

"Hi Dave,

Painted Ladies: Just returned from Beetham and Gait Barrows (Nr. Milnthorpe) and from noon up until now and still going through at every 3 seconds - all North. I left Charlie at Beetham at 1630hrs (though he has just reported by phone that they are still going through thick at 1815hrs). I had them thick all the way down the motorway coming through at approx 3 seconds until I reached the M66 turn off for Blackpool and then NONE all the way further South until the M65, then along the M65 and then from Blackburn to Haslingden and not one.... So it looks like they are crossing the M6 from the Trough of Bowland/Ribble Valley areas and then heading towards the Lake District and possibly on..... wide front at a average count of every 3 seconds or 20 a minute or 1200 per hour or (6 hours approx 7200....(within 20 metre corridor approx).."

Cheers,

Bryan.