Kitchen Garden Forum

I've only seen a few painted lady butterflies so far this year but there have been reports of swarms (rabble) of them which have migrated from North Africa.
Has anyone seen them in large numbers?

John

Hi John, I've not seen a "rabble" this year, I didn't even know a lot of Painted Ladies was called that (you aren't thinking of a collective name for prostitutes are you?)

I've seen quite a few Painted Lady's in the garden recently, but the best I've ever seen was a few years ago - one of the sunny years - when a large old privet bush was in full bloom and it was literally covered in Painted Ladies, more than I could count and it was just amazing.

A friend who lives a couple of streets away - in suburban Wimborne, Dorset - saw huge numbers of them at the weekend, flying over her garden, heading north.

For the past few days we've had a couple or so fluttering through our garden every day and stopping of for a drink or a reviver but I guess that's hardly a rabble. It must be quite a spectacular sight to see them en masse.

We only get 3 or 4 at a time but quite a few have passed through, we've been amazed how fast they travel.

We've only had singles at any one time, but several times a day and, as has been mentioned, they all seemed to be in a hurry - just dashing through.

Presumably they will settle down somewhere and breed so in August/September, we should get lots of newly emerged ones, just when the buddleias, sedums and michaelmas daisies flower!

Hi PP,
If my memory serves me correctly the collective noun for the other sort of 'Painted Ladies' is actually a "Collective!"
JB.
( Not a lot of people know that ; muttered in a quasi Michael Cain voice!)

John wrote:I've only seen a few painted lady butterflies so far this year but there have been reports of swarms (rabble) of them which have migrated from North Africa.
Has anyone seen them in large numbers?

John

Hi John,

Saw lots of them in Austria last week, but not what I would call a rabble though. Seen quite a lot around here lately.