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Painted lady

 

 

The long-distance migrants, painted ladies and admirals (Vanessa atlanta), have been seen flying around. Usually more  individuals of one species are seen in a particular year. Why? Scientists have no precise answer to that yet.

 

Painted ladies can be seen everywhere in Estonia but they are still never so numerous as the admirals. From July until September we see the painted ladies: the imagos of the generation that has developed here and the second wave of immigrants.

 

The painted ladies are believed not to be able to winter here. Does a return migration take place? This hypothesis too needs examining.

 

 

 Undersides of the painted lady’s wings.

 

The undersides of the wings of the painted lady and the admiral are very similar as might be surmised from the Latin names – relatives’ business. Painted ladies can be comfortably observed when they feed on flower nectar; while feeding they are quite oblivious of their surroundings.

 

Admiral