I read the news today oh boy
An unusual cloud 70 miles across was detected by radar this week above Denver Colorado. Meteorologits thought the cloud was comprised of migrating birds and asked people in the area to look to the skies to identify the species. They got many replies, each one saying that the cloud was butterflies. It turns out the cloud comprised millions of Painted Lady butterflies (Vanessa cardui, not the American Painted Lady- V. virginiensis). Radar gives a different signature with larger objects as the reflectivity is higher, and this butterfly cloud had a signature of low reflectivity, which showed red on their radars. Here is the mention on BBC news: www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-41528521
This is the same species of Painted Lady that occurs across Britain and Europe (and beyond). Our British ones migrate south to North Africa for the winter. I'm guessing that American butterflies overwinter in Mexico and Central America but I cannot find anything that confirms that.
Back to this photograph which I took at the northern tip of Vancouver Island in Canada. I don't often see Painted Ladies in British Columbia but this year I saw dozens. Its numbers are known to fluctuate greatly so 2017 was a good year for a massive butterfly cloud to occur.
I read the news today oh boy
An unusual cloud 70 miles across was detected by radar this week above Denver Colorado. Meteorologits thought the cloud was comprised of migrating birds and asked people in the area to look to the skies to identify the species. They got many replies, each one saying that the cloud was butterflies. It turns out the cloud comprised millions of Painted Lady butterflies (Vanessa cardui, not the American Painted Lady- V. virginiensis). Radar gives a different signature with larger objects as the reflectivity is higher, and this butterfly cloud had a signature of low reflectivity, which showed red on their radars. Here is the mention on BBC news: www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-41528521
This is the same species of Painted Lady that occurs across Britain and Europe (and beyond). Our British ones migrate south to North Africa for the winter. I'm guessing that American butterflies overwinter in Mexico and Central America but I cannot find anything that confirms that.
Back to this photograph which I took at the northern tip of Vancouver Island in Canada. I don't often see Painted Ladies in British Columbia but this year I saw dozens. Its numbers are known to fluctuate greatly so 2017 was a good year for a massive butterfly cloud to occur.