Exotic butterflies could flock to Milton Keynes in once-in-a-decade migration
Nature lovers are being asked to help count an explosion of Painted Lady butterflies across the UK this summer.
If you’ve seen a surprising number of orange, black and white butterflies across Milton Keynes, then you are not alone.
Warm weather across Europe this spring prompted millions of Painted Ladies to flock to Britain from Africa, and videos on social media show clouds of them flying around farmland to feed and mate in a once-in-a-decade phenomenon known as a Painted Lady Summer.
Now their offspring are emerging around the country, and wildlife charity Butterfly Conservation is asking people to report how many they see as part of its annual Big Butterfly Count.
Butterfly Conservation Head of Science Professor Richard Fox said: "The inter-continental migration of Painted Lady butterflies is a wonder of the natural world and one of the longest insect journeys on the planet. The numbers we're seeing here at the moment have already dwarfed the total number of Painted Ladies we saw last year, and we're absolutely delighted.
“With their beautiful pinky-orange, black and white patterned wings, they are one of our most popular species. The new generation of Painted Ladies is emerging across the UK right now prior to flying the next leg of the species’ epic journey, and helping to count them is a great excuse to take part in this year's Big Butterfly Count."
The Painted Lady is a long-distance migrant that visits the UK each year. It travels all the way from sub-Saharan Africa, and its migration takes multiple generations of butterflies to complete – so the butterfly that left Africa is not the same one that arrives in the UK.
In last year’s Big Butterfly Count, people around the UK reported a total of 15,856 Painted Ladies. By comparison, the last time the UK had a Painted Lady Summer in 2019, the total was more than 420,000.
This year’s numbers are already significantly higher than last year and even higher than the same point in 2019, indicating this Painted Lady Summer could dwarf the last one.
The reasons why the UK experiences Painted Lady Summers are not entirely understood, but are linked to the species’ breeding success in Africa and southern Europe earlier in the year.
Many butterfly populations go through ‘boom-and-bust’ cycles related to food availability and predator numbers, and this year’s heatwaves have provided perfect conditions for the species’ long-distance migration.
Butterfly Conservation Head of Engagement Kate Merry said: "This is a very exciting and unexpected twist to this year's Big Butterfly Count: it’s astonishing that such a seemingly delicate insect can accomplish this incredible long-distance journey. We've already seen absolutely loads of them across the UK, so we are very excited to see how many people report them and where.”
This year's Big Butterfly Count runs from Friday, 17 July to Sunday, 9 August.
Anyone in the UK can take part by downloading the free app or visiting the website, and spending just 15 minutes recording which butterflies and moths they see anywhere they like - in their garden, a local park or even a green area in their local supermarket car park.
These sightings provide important data that help scientists understand where butterflies are thriving, struggling, or shifting due to climate change, habitat loss or restoration.
How to take part
- Download the free Big Butterfly Count app or visit www.bigbutterflycount.org
- Between Friday, July 17- Sunday, August 9 spend 15 minutes in any sunny outdoor space and count the number and types of butterflies and day-flying moths you see. You don’t need to be an expert - use the free ID guide on the app and website to help you identify what you’ve seen.
- Log your sightings on the website or free app and help protect UK butterflies for future generations