Wednesday, 27 May 2009

Painted ladies....

Yesterday we spotted a painted lady butterfly, a migrant from Africa, on the allotment - the first we've seen this year.
Then this morning, the Guardian newspaper reported that many thousands of them have been arriving in Britain on warm winds from the North African deserts since last Thursday. See www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/may/27/painted-lady-butterflies-migration-britain
It could be the best summer for them for years. What a wonderful surprise, following the unusually cold winter. Let's hope the farmers lay off the herbicides and leave plenty of thistles for painted lady caterpillars later this season!

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