Long-Haul Travellers!

Butterfly Conservation runs a survey to map the arrival, spread and departure of migrant insects online. This was a great success in 2009, when Britain and Ireland saw one of the largest arrivals of Painted Lady butterflies ever recorded.

If you have seen either the Humming-bird Hawk-moth or the Painted Lady in Britain and Ireland since the start of 2010, visit www.butterflyconservation.org and help us track the impact of climate change on migration.

Painted Ladies Woo the Nation!

The Painted Lady invaded the UK in spectacular numbers during late May and early June 2009. They arrived in the south-east of England but, within days, had spead throughout the UK. Many laid eggs and soon there were a billion 'home grown' butterflies. Then there was a second 'home grown' generation  in October.  

Over 12,700 records of the butterfly were submitted during the year. May had the most reports, but October was a surprise in second place. Sightings continued regularly throughout November and a few were even reported in December.

Humungus Hummers!

Humming-bird Hawk-moths had 1986 sightings in 2009... this was a big increase on the 500 observations of the moth in 2008.

The moth was seen across southern Britain, but was much more scarce in the north and no records were received from Orkney or Shetland . However, Hummingbird Hawk Moths were recorded on the north coast of mainland Scotland so they may well have been in Cumbria too!

'Hummers' were seen from 9 February through to 24 November. Although many arrived in mid to late June, the peak of sightings was in August, as it typical for this species.

Join Butterfly Conservation in the 2010 survey.  May be it will be the turn of the Humming-bird Hawk-moth to wow the nation! Please continue to log all your sightings of both these incredible, inter-continental insects.