The Cosmopolitan - _TNY_9609
The painted lady (Vanessa cardui) is a rather pretty name for a butterfly in my opinion - but in North America it has also been known as the cosmopolitan. This is actually an extremely fitting name as this is the most widespread butterfly species on earth - ie a cosmopolitan species.
It doesn't survive the cold of winter up here in Stockholm, Sweden, but they migrate north from northern Africa every year, a trip which actually takes several generations, and some of them reach Sweden where the next generation begins the several generations trip back south.
In 2019, there were favourable winds blowing so that summer there were a huge number of painted ladies up here.
This particular one is a very worn specimen - perhaps it is a traveller from southern lands?
If you want a little more detailed description of the migration, have a look at the description for this shot: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/51504367330/
The Cosmopolitan - _TNY_9609
The painted lady (Vanessa cardui) is a rather pretty name for a butterfly in my opinion - but in North America it has also been known as the cosmopolitan. This is actually an extremely fitting name as this is the most widespread butterfly species on earth - ie a cosmopolitan species.
It doesn't survive the cold of winter up here in Stockholm, Sweden, but they migrate north from northern Africa every year, a trip which actually takes several generations, and some of them reach Sweden where the next generation begins the several generations trip back south.
In 2019, there were favourable winds blowing so that summer there were a huge number of painted ladies up here.
This particular one is a very worn specimen - perhaps it is a traveller from southern lands?
If you want a little more detailed description of the migration, have a look at the description for this shot: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/51504367330/