News: August 2003

The east side of the country continues to report higher than usual number of migratory painted ladies (Vanessa cardui), arriving from the continent.

Our news item on 8th August reported that large numbers of painted ladies had been recorded in Suffolk. Now there are also reports of very large numbers showing up elsewhere. The North Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust has been inundated with calls from people reporting large numbers of the butterfly. Also being recorded in higher numbers than usual this year is the day-flying hummingbird hawkmoth (Macroglossum stellatarum). This is another migratory species which normally comes to Britain is small numbers each year from the south of France where it is very common.

This is Scunthorpe. 2003. Gardens full of painted ladies. Viewed on the web at http://www.thisisscunthorpe.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=56045&command=displayContent&sourceNode=56044&contentPK=6678181 on August 17th 2003.