Invasion of Painted Ladies

Jim Martin

Waiting, hopefully, for them to arrive here in Co.Clare, it was too damp yesterday:



http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/blog/2009/may/26/wildlife-conservation?commentpage=1

Durnish

Ah, I got an email from Dublin Field Naturalists asking me to look out for them.

I saw a smaller invasion of PLs about three years ago, first on clifs near Dawros Head, Donegal, beginning of June and then at Killard Point, Count Down.

bing3

Thousands heading west along the river Nore in Castletown Co. Laois today, so they should be with you pretty soon. Never seen so many. Pretty nifty fliers they are too.Took me an hour to catch one to photo.

Durnish

Wow, there was a fly past at Annadale Allotments, Belfast, today.

Some hung around, feeding on our strawberry patch and some chive flower heads.. Absolutely amazing.
Have to choose best pic. Have many .

Jim Martin

1st observations in Clare Fri 29/05 - see Clarebirdwatching site:

http://www.clarebirdwatching.com/home/mammal-insects.html

Durnish

Here we go, Annadale plots, Belfast, yesterday afternoon.

Jim Martin

Thks for that Durnish, lovely shot!

Kaldorn

I was on a beach in north west mayo and i literally saw hundreds of them...the sad thing is they were all flying out over the ocean so id say alot of fish were having a fieldday...i dont know what attracted them out over the water but they were moving fast..i only saw one of two moving inland.

Birdnuts

Kaldorn wrote: »

I was on a beach in north west mayo and i literally saw hundreds of them...the sad thing is they were all flying out over the ocean so id say alot of fish were having a fieldday...i dont know what attracted them out over the water but they were moving fast..i only saw one of two moving inland.

Same here, I saw literally hundreds/thousands of them around Erris Co. Mayo over the weekend. Also plenty inland around Hollymount and Claremorris. Apparently they had a mega breeding season earlier in Morocco, hence the massive invasion:)

Jim Martin

Maybe they were just arriving over the sea direct from Spain?

Kaldorn

Birdnuts wrote: »

Same here, I saw literally hundreds/thousands of them around Erris Co. Mayo over the weekend. Also plenty inland around Hollymount and Claremorris. Apparently they had a mega breeding season earlier in Morocco, hence the massive invasion:)

i was on Srahmore beach near belmullet, i also walked about 3 miles of the owenmore looking for Otters as i heard they are around that area between bangor and bellacorrick but failed to see any..last time i get up at 5 am to look for otters...

fryup

will they eat my lettuce???

Birdnuts

fryup wrote: »

will they eat my lettuce???

No! There more into nettles as far as I know:)

bogtreader

Seen some painted ladies in roundwood on sunday while out trying to see a kingfisher

OpenYourEyes

Been seeing some groups of 3-5 flying together recently, thought it was a bit odd alrite! This would seem to explain it though!

Kaldorn

I always thought they were called a red admiral..are they really similar or do they have two names?

Durnish

different species.

I heard of flocks (what is the group name?) of them in Rosbeg last Saturday. Reckon they must have taken the direct route from Spain.

sineadgalway

I was down on the south side of shannon estuary on Friday and there were literally hundreds everywhere you looked..

Durnish

Truly amazing.

Wish I had seen it. I think we only saw the tail enders in Belfast. The bulk must have either flown directly from Spain/France to the west, or across the southern part of ROI. I can only speculate.

Interesting article in Sat's Irish Times. Michale Viney, anyone got an online sub?
Lots of info at Butterfly Ireland site as well.