Migrating butterflies
Photos: Arne Ader
Translation: Liis
Painted lady.
| Painted lady |
Ohakaliblikas
|
Vanessa cardui |
Who has wings, moves – some more, some less.
The long-distance migrators, the painted ladies, have been more numerous this year than the admirals (Vanessa atlanta). Usually every year one species dominates. Why? There is as yet no precise answer.
The painted lady can be seen in all Estonia, but it isn’t as numerous as the admiral. From July to September we have a second generation of painted lady adults that have been hatched here, together with a second wave of migrants. Painted ladies can’t winter in Estonia. Is there a migration back south? This question too needs investigating.
Painted lady with closed wings.
The undersides of the wings of the painted lady and the admiral are very similar – a family thing, as we can see from their Latin names. It is easy to observe or to photograph painted ladies feeding on nectar in meadows in flower; when they are feeding they are quite oblivious of their surroundings.
Admiral.
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