On the 25th May we sat in Mum's garden in Dibden Purlieu, Hampshire watching simply hundreds of painted lady butterflies coming over the hedge flying North. We got lots of photos as they stopped to refuel in the flowerbeds. On having a bit of a hunt online we found that these butterflies, which use thistles as their food plant for their caterpillars, were coming in what could be the biggest influx of butterflies into this country in decades. According Natural England millions have flown into Britain from the deserts of north Africa. Up to 18,000 were spotted sailing on the breeze across Scolt Head Island on the north Norfolk coast: 50 arriving every minute. Apparently come September, the painted ladies will be off again: the British-born generation begin an epic reverse trip, drawn by a mysterious calling to the hot, distant land of their mothers and fathers.
Monday 25 May 2009
butterfly invasion - painted lady migration May09
On the 25th May we sat in Mum's garden in Dibden Purlieu, Hampshire watching simply hundreds of painted lady butterflies coming over the hedge flying North. We got lots of photos as they stopped to refuel in the flowerbeds. On having a bit of a hunt online we found that these butterflies, which use thistles as their food plant for their caterpillars, were coming in what could be the biggest influx of butterflies into this country in decades. According Natural England millions have flown into Britain from the deserts of north Africa. Up to 18,000 were spotted sailing on the breeze across Scolt Head Island on the north Norfolk coast: 50 arriving every minute. Apparently come September, the painted ladies will be off again: the British-born generation begin an epic reverse trip, drawn by a mysterious calling to the hot, distant land of their mothers and fathers.
leucistic blackbird
We saw this fabulous leucistic blackbird with white patches in May 2009 at the park on Noads Way in Dibden Purlieu near the New Forest. I had a bit of a read up on it: Leucism is a general term for the phenotype resulting from defects in pigment cell differentiation and/or migration during development. This results in either the entire surface or patches of body surface having a lack of cells capable of making pigment. This blackbird has localized hypopigmentation or partial leucism which is known as a "pied" or "piebald" effect.
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