Unexpectedly high numbers of Painted Lady butterflies were seen yesterday on a coastal site on the Lizard Peninsula, in South Cornwall.
Since the southerly winds that had brought the large numbers of migrant Striped Hawkmoths had been replaced for over a week by more northerly and less favourable migratory winds it was surprising to see so many of these butterflies.
As is so often the case with recently arrived migrants on this coastline many were feeding on the Thrift, Armeria maritima coating the stone walls.
All were paler than the broods of migrants normally seen in the British Isles suggesting these insects had come from much warmer countries.
More information on the Painted Lady can be seen on the Painted Lady species page
Other butterflies are featured in the Butterfly Gallery and species pages.
