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PAINTED LADY MIGRATION 2009

As you will see below 2009 has been a very exceptional year for Painted Ladies [Vanessa cardui] with an extremely successful breeding season in the Atlas Mountains in North Africa. There is also an associated influx of Large Whites, Red Admirals, Clouded Yellows and Silver Y's across Europe

• Dursey Island Bulletin (Derek Scott, 31^st May '09)　 »»»

• Donegal Report I    (Bob Aldwell, 3^rd June '08)　  »»»

• Donegal Repot II    (Bob Aldwell, 21^st June '09)  »»»

• Donegal Report III (Bob Aldwell, 31^st July '09)   »»»

November 2009

• Frank Smyth: Painted Lady(3), Ceannchor Rd. Howth, Dublin, 5/11

• Tony Murray: Painted Lady(1), Rosslare Harbour, Wexford, 5/11.

• Bob Aldwell: Painted Lady(2), Sorrento Park, Dalkey, Dublin, 3/11; 
  Painted Lady(2), Torca Rd, Dalkey, Dublin, 3/11.

• Frank Smyth: Painted Lady(1), Ceannchor/The Needles, Howth, Dublin, 3/11.

• Paul Walsh: Painted Lady(1), Brownstown Head, Waterford, 1/11

October 2009

• Paul Walsh: Painted Lady(3), Brownstown Head, Waterford, 31/10

• Freddie Walsh: Painted Lady(14), The Raven, Wexford, 31/10.

• Bob Aldwell: Painted Lady(3), Sorrento Drive, beside Dalkey Dart Station, Dublin, 31/10; 
  Painted Lady(2), basking at Sorrento Park, Dalkey, Dublin, 31/10;
  Painted Lady larva (2nd instar in web), below Vico Road, Dalkey, Dublin, 31/10;
  Painted Lady(1+) on ivy on sunny cliff, Dalkey Quarry, Dublin, 31/10;
  Painted Lady(1), Ardeeven Road, Dalkey, Dublin, 31/10.

• Frank Smyth: Painted Lady(9), Cliff Path, Howth, Dublin, 31/10; 
  Painted Lady(6), Ceannchor Road, Howth, Dublin, 31/10; 
  Painted Lady(3), towards the Baily, Howth, Dublin. 31/10.

• Freddie Walsh: Painted Lady(3), Ballyharty, Wexford, 26/10.

• Freddie Walsh: Painted Lady(3), Raven, Wexford, 17/10.

• DNFC: Painted Lady larva(final instar) on creeping thistle, below Vico Rd, Dalkey, Dubllin, 17/10 

• John Lynch: Painted Lady(1), Baltimore, Cork, W (H3), 9/10. 

• Danny Gillespie: Painted Lady(1), Dactan, Kilcar, Donegal, 6/10

• Bob Aldwell: Painted Lady larvae(10), Dun Laoire, Dublin, 5/10 

• Helen Cloney: Painted Lady(1), Caim, Wexford, 4/10

• Joanna O'Kane: Painted Lady(1), Ballindrait, Donegal, 4/10

• Anne Barton: Painted Lady(1), Rosbeg Donegal, 4/10

• Joe Devlin: Painted Lady(2), Ballagan Point, Louth, 4/10.

26 September

• Jesmond Harding: Painted Lady(2), Lullybeg, Kildare, 26/9

20 September

• Brian Danaher: Painted Lady(1), Shankill, Dublin (H21), 20/9

19 September

• Jill Crosher: Painted Lady(1), Clogher Head,  Kerry N, 19/9  

• D Hardiman &  D Nash: Painted Lady(1), Carney Commons, Tipperary, 19/9

15 September

• Breffni Martin: Painted Lady(4), Carlingford, Louth, 15/9

13 September

• Roger Hale: Painted Lady (30+), Newbliss Co. Monaghan and Cootehill, Co. Cavan, 1-13/9

• Geoff Hunt: Painted Lady(2), Ballybunion, Kerry, 13/9

• D Hardiman & D Nash: Painted Lady(1), Bunduff, Sligo, 13/9

12 September

• Bob Aldwell: Painted Lady(1), Alma Rd, Monkstown, Dublin; Painted Lady(6), Killiney, Dublin, 12/9 
  Painted Lady(3), in garden, Blackrock, Dublin. 12/9

• Paul Walsh: Painted Lady(57), Brownstown Head, Waterford, 12/9

• Tom Tarpey: Painted Lady(10), Mizen Head, Cork

• Derek Scott:  Painted Lady(50), Dursey Island, Cork

• John J Cahill, Bernie Sheridan & John Power: Painted Lady(2), Newport East, Waterford 12/9; Painted Lady(3), Callisco Bay, Waterford; Painted Lady(5), Ballymacart, Waterford 12/9; Painted Lady(12), Helvic Head, Waterford, 12/9

• Geoff Hunt: Painted Lady(2), Ballynacourty wood, Kilfinnane, Limerick; 
  Painted Lady(2), Fiddown, Kilkenny.

• Freddie Walsh: Painted Lady(40), Ballyteigue, Wexford, 12/9  
  

11 September

• Bernie Sheridan & John Power: Painted Lady(4), Mizen Head, W Cork

• Con O'Donnell: Painted Lady(13), on cliff nr castle at Greencastle, Donegal

• Deirdre Hardiman: Painted Lady (1, very faded), N of Glenmunder river, Ballyman Glen, Dublin, 11/9

10 September

• Breffni Martin: Painted Lady(200), Cooley Point, near Carlingford, Louth

• Geoff Hunt: Painted Lady(1), Newcastlewest, Limerick

• Paul Walsh: Painted Lady(1), Cork Airport Business Park, Cork

• Derek Scott:  Painted Lady(3), Dursey Island, Cork

• Freddie Walsh: Painted Lady(25), Raven, Wexford, 10/9

9 September

• Bob Aldwell: Painted Lady(2), Newtownpark Avenue, Blackrock, Dublin

• Geoff Hunt: Painted Lady(2), Newcastle West, Limerick

• Derek Scott:  Painted Lady(1), Dursey Island, Cork

5 September

• David Nash: Painted Lady, National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, Dublin

• Jesmond Harding: Painted Lady(10), Lullybeg, Kildare (H19)

• Freddie Walsh: Painted  Lady(70), Raven, Wexford, 5/9  

23 August

• Deirdre Hardiman: PL(2), Airfield House & Farm, Dundrum, Dublin, 23/8

22 August

• Bob Aldwell: PL(30+), Killiney, Dublin

• DNFC: PL(3+), Sutton, Dublin

• Joe Devlin: Ballagan Point(7); Slieve Foye(1), Louth

• John Power & Bernie Sheridan: 
  Painted Lady(1), Dunhill, Waterford, 22/8;
  Painted Lady(10), Ballyvooney Cove Waterford, 22/8;

• Deirdre Hardiman: Painted Lady(2), garden in Donnybrook, Dublin, 22/8

21 August

• Colm Dunne: Painted Lady(6), Dunboyne garden, Meath, 21/8

17 August

• Tomás & Frances Barrett: Hillside Grove(2), Dunmore Road, Waterford (H6), 17/8

• Freddie Walsh: Painted Lady(35), Ballyteigue, Wexford, 17/8

13 August

• Bob Aldwell & Frank Smyth: The Raven NNR(50+), Wexford; Crossabeg(9), Wexford; Caim(2), Wexford [garden of H Cloney]

• David Nash: Edgeworthstown(1); Dring(1); Canal nr Keenagh(30+); Cashel Quarry(15); nr Barley Cove(1), Longford

12 August

• Jesmond Harding: Gortlecka(15), Clare; Ballyeighter Woods(15), Clare

»»»

8 August

• Ian Rippey: Carney Commons(c.150), Tipperary(N)

• Dermot McLaughlin: Culdaff(5); Tremone(2); Redford(2), Donegal

• Boyd Bryce: Inch Island(x100), Donegal

• Ian McCambridge: Stranorlar(1), Donegal

• John Joe Cahill, Jim Dowdall, Bernie Sheridan & John Power: Rinnamore Green Road & adjacent meadows(6), Clare

• Chris Wilson: Polder(12), North Slob, Wexford

• Helen Cloney reports 12 Painted Lady on 8th Aug  in her garden at Caim, Co.Wexford and surrounding areas.
  

7 August

• Anne & Jim Toland: Inishtrahull(1), Donegal

• Ethna Diver: Knockbrack(4), Donegal

• Freddie Walsh: The Raven(50), Wexford
  

6 August

• Ethna Diver: Cleengort(1), Donegal

• Maurice Simms: Sheskinmore(1), Donegal

• Richard McCafferty: Glenties(10), Donegal

• Tony Murray & Sarah Stapleton: Ballyteige(2), Wexford

• Kevin Hannan: Plassey UL(2), Clare, ; between Mullaghmore and Coolarta(5), Clare

5 August

• Jill Crosher: Ballyferriter(1), Kerry

• Bob Aldwell:  Killiney coast, south towards Shankill(2), Dublin

• Deirdre Hardiman: The Scalp(3), Dublin

• Alan McGuire & Chris Wilson: Laken(8), Wexford

4 August

• George McDermott: Buncrana(2), Donegal

31 July

• Richard McCafferty: Glenties(1), Donegal

• Nuala Browne reports > 50 Painted Lady in her garden on buddleias at Crossabeg Co.Wexford, from about end of July.

29 July

• Frank Smyth: Kildoney(3 in pristine condition), Donegal

• Chris Wilson: The Raven(2), Wexford

• Chris Wilson: The Raven(2), Wexford

»»»

28 July

• Frank Smyth: Rossknowlagh(2), Donegal

27 July

• Ian Rippey:  nr Newtown(1), W of Gort, Galway

26 July

• D Nash & D Hardiman:  Donnybrook(1), Dublin

24 July

• Ian McCambridge: Horn Head Bridge(3), Dunfanaghy, Donegal

23 July

• Adrian Phelan: Grangegorman(1), Dublin City, Dublin

22 July

• Danny Gillespie: Muckros(6+), Donegal

• Chris Wilson: Raven(3), Wexford

21 July

• Con O'Donnell: Dunlewey(1), Donegal

19 July

• Paul Walsh: Brownstown Head(1), Waterford

18 July

• Ethna Diver: PL(3), Knockbrack, Letterkenny, Donegal

15 July

• Deirdre Hardiman: PL on Buddleia in garden, Donnybrook, Dublin

• Chris Wilson: PL(2), Raven, Wexford

14 July

• Tom Tarpey: PL(6), S of Bloody Foreland, Co. Donegal, 14/7

13 July

• Deirdre Hardiman: PL(3), The Raven, Wexford

12 July

• Bob Aldwell: 6 larvae half-grown on creeping thistle and 1 on Burdock (only half the size of most of those on the thistles), Salthill, Dun Laoghaire, Dublin

• Freddie Walsh: Painted Lady larvae on thistle, The Burrow, Ballyteigue, Wexford, 12/7

9 July

• Ian McCambridge: Dunfanaghy, nr St Michael's GAA pitch, hundreds of  larvae on thistles.

• Paul Walsh: Curraghmore / Curraghtaggart area(3),  near Portlaw, Waterford (H6)

• Tony Murray & Sarah Stapleton: Painted Lady(4), Great Saltee Island, Co. Wexford, 9/7

• Chris Wilson: Raven(14), Wexford

8 July

• Declan Skeehan: Maugherow(6+ larvae), Sligo [In rough pasture near the beach].

• Paul Walsh: Mount Melleray / Monalour area(15), near Knockmealdown Mountains, Waterford (H6)

5 July

• Geoff Hunt: Ardrageen Bridge(2), Cappagh, Co Limerick; 
  Lough Agoule(6), Ballingarry, Co Limerick.

4 July

• Aynia Brennan: Magheramore(3) garden, Wicklow

• Paul Walsh: North Comeragh hills(3), Waterford; Brownstown Head(4) Waterford. 

• John A Power: Ballyscanlon(5), Waterford

»»»

3 July

• Chris Wilson: Raven(22), Wexford

2 July

• Frank Smyth: Carrickfad Painted Lady site, Rossnowlagh, Donegal
  On 2 July the plants at centre of laying area had turned brown from being eaten by the larvae! A few small larvae were still on most plants but would starve if they dont move on. Plants at the fringe contained small numbers of larvae on each plant and these were doing ok, as were some which had migrated to the odd nettle among the thistles. In general the larvae were from 0.5" to 1"long .There were some globe(spear) thistles nearby also and most of these supported one or two larvae per plant.These larvae were generally much larger than the ones on creeping thistle and quite a few were ready to pupate with evidence that some pupation had already occurred. While its clear that the dense laying pattern has resulted in starvation for hugh numbers of larvae there should still be several hundreds that will come through to adult stage from late July to mid August. The thistles are spreading throughout the field so I hope the owner doesn't cut them for a while

1 July

• Deirdre Hardiman: PL(3), Barnaslingan Wood, Dublin

28 June  

• Freddie Walsh: Raven(3), Wexford (H12)

• Joseph Devlin: Slieve Foye Woods(3), Louth (H31)

• Paul Walsh:  nr Kilmacthomas(4), Waterford (H6)

27 June

• David Nash: Carraig(2), Tipperary, N; Carney Commons(1), Tipperary, N

• Freddie Walsh: Ballyteigue(2), Wexfrod

• Paul Walsh:  Ballylinch/Briska(3) area, near Lemybrien, Waterford (H6)
  

25 June

• Deirdre Hardiman: Russelstown(2), Wicklow
  

24 June

• Paul Walsh: PL(1), Tobernahulla / Knockaniska near Araglin, Waterford; also (2) on Tipperarry side of county boundary.
  

23 June

• Aoife Byrne: Raynaskeeha(2), Lickey Valley, Waterford

• Jesmond Harding: Lullybeg(1), Kildare

• Adrian Phelan: Painted Lady(1), Ireland's Eye, Dublin
  

21 June

• Brian Hodkinson: PL(1), Reboge- canal area - Limerick

• Tom Cuffe: PL(3), Anglingham, Galway

• Freddie Walsh: PL(5), The Raven, Wexford

• Albert Nolan: PL(1), Cullaun Bridge, nr Rearcross, Limerick.

• Paul Walsh: PL(1), Kilmoylin near Kilmacthomas, Waterford 

»»»

20 June

• Geoff Hunt:  PL(4), Ballyagran, Limerick

• Freddie Walsh: PL(8), Ballyteigue Burrows, Wexford

• Paul Walsh: Painted Lady(5), Mahon bridge / Kilrossanty area Waterford 
  & Painted Lady(2), Brownstown Head, Waterfrod, 20/6
  

19 June

• John A Power: PL(5), Mount Stewart, Dungarvan, Waterford

• Freddie Walsh: PL(5), Hook Head, Wexford
  

18 June

• Angus Tyner: Can count about 15-20 PL on 20 minute walk around fields, nr Ashford, Wicklow

16 June

• Jesmond Harding: Philipstown(4), Kildare; Dunshane Common(19), Kildare

• Brian Danaher: front garden(1), Shankill, Dublin

»»»

15 June

• Ralph Sheppard: Barnes Lower (South of Lough Salt)(1), Donegal 

• Faith Wilson:Upper Lough Dan(10) near the Inchavore River, Wicklow

• Aoife Byrne:  Ballyclamper(2),  Stradbally, Waterford, 15/06

14 June

• David Cooke: Dursey Island(6), W Cork

• Paul Walshe: Davmore to Ballykilmurry(14), near Kilrossanty, Waterford (H6)

• Kevin Hannan: Commons North(2), The Burren, Clare

• Geoff Hunt: Great Saltee(9), Wexford, 14/6  

• Roy Thompson: Pollardstown Fen(7), Kildare

»»»

13 June

• Chris Wilson: Polder(12), North Slob, Wexford, 13/6

• Brian Danaher: Shankill(1), Dublin

• Roger McNaughton: "Commons"(1),  Two mile house, Kildare (H19)

• Paul Walshe: Knockaderry Reservoir(2), Waterford (H6); nr Slievenamone(15), Kill, Waterford (H6)

• Geoff Hunt: Lady's Island(1),Wexford (H12)

12 June

• Joe Duane:  New Inn(4), Galway, 12/6; Duneeda(6), Ballinalsoe

• Paul Walshe: Newport(4), Waterford (H6)

11 June

• Paul Walsh: Cork Airport Business Park(3), Cork, Mid (H4)

• Colin Barton: Bottlehill Landfill Site(2), Cork
  

»»»

10 June

• Paul Walsh: Garrynagree / Scordaun area(62), Drum Hills; Ram Head(27); Ardmore Village(3), Waterford(H6)

• Fintan Ryan: Inistioge, Woodstock Garden(41), Kilkenny(H11), 
  [Sunny afternoon about 16.00 h, temp 17°C wind calm. On flowers in garden]

• Robert Northridge: Portora(1), Fermanagh

8 June

• Paul Walsh: Cork Airport Business Park(2), Cork, Mid (H4) 

• Ralph Sheppard: Dooey(3) (Gweebarra), Co Donegal 

• Frank Smyth: Rowantree Hill(3), Donegal; Butler's Bridge(8), Cavan 

• Carrickfad PL site: There were several other concentrations of thistle adjacent to the  favoured area which had no eggs so it seems that the laying frenzy is very localised. There were a few nettles among the thistles but only a few eggs to each plant.
  To estimate the number of eggs in total I took 3 small leaves from random plants each about 3" long. I counted the eggs later and got a total of 316 from the 3 leaves. Taking a conservative 12 leaves per plant and a minimum of 100 plants it comes to over a 125,000 eggs - probably 200,000 would be a truer total. About 15% of the eggs were already turning black and a few had actually hatched so it looks as if it will be a successful breeding operation provided the thistles aren't cut . I'll keep an eye on them over the summer .

»»»

7 June

• Robert Northridge: Sheskinmore(1), Donegal, 7/6; Rosbeg(2), Donegal , 7/6; Dooey Strand(1), Donegal, 7/6; Lettermacaward(1), Donegal, 7/6; Aughros Point(8), Donegal, 7/6

• Paul Walsh: Kilsheelan(6), Tipperary S (H7) S22 [also 2 Painted Ladies on Co Waterford side of river near Kilsheelan]

6 June

• Paul Walsh: Brownstown Head(1), Red Admiral(1), Waterford (H6); Dunhill Castle(3), Waterford; near Castlecraddockbog(6), Waterford; 
  Near Kill village(3), Waterford; Kilsheelan(6), Tipperary S (H7) (S4603)

• Mary Toomey: I heard you are collating painted lady records. I was in Sligo at the weekend and saw quite a few on Saturday 6th June. I walked around a small headland in the vicinity of Knocklane, immediately north of Yellow Strand and saw 20+ on the walk. I started at G 575 447, walked towards the tip of the head at G 558 442 and continued south past the head to G 576 445.
  I saw another two painted ladies on the same day at Lisadell Strand 
  G618 438.

»»»

5 June

• Aynia Brennan: Magheramore(7), Wicklow, 5/6 

• Tom Tarpey: Barrigone(10), Askeaton, Limerick, 5/6 

• Paul Walsh: Kilclooney Forest (Comeragh foothills)(4), Waterford (H6)

• Aynia Brennan:  Magheramore(3), Wicklow 

• Faith Wilson:Ballymoon Esker(many), Carlow 

• Tom Tarpey: Painted Ladies(5) at Dromcolliher, Limerick, 

• Paul Walsh: PL(4), Toor North & Clashbrack areas, Drum Hills, Waterford;  [PL 3 settled, 1 flying SW]; PL(11), Brownstown Head, Waterford [all PLs settled] 

• Eileen Morrison:  Enniscrone(1), Sligo 

• Ralph Sheppard: PL (1), Cloncarney, Co Donegal

• Geoff Hunt: Abbeyfeale(6), Limerick; Knocknagoshel(4), Kerry N (H2); Meenlietrim(4), Kerry N (H2); Abbeyfeale(4), Limerick (H08)

• Senior Room, Kilroe N.S.: Headford, Galway -"At 2.30 pm we counted 1500 (2 minutes x 30) flying north to south in the school yard"

• Patrick McGurn: PL(2), Fermanagh/Cavan border townland of Cullentra,
  Cavan

• Robert Northridge: Inishmurray(12), Sligo.

• Aynia Brennan: Magheramore(1), Wicklow

• Joe Duane: Cranberry bog(9), Roscommon (H25); Gortnasharvoge(6), Roscommon; Gortnasharvoge(6), Roscommon 

• Niall T. Keogh: Killoughter(2), Wicklow

• Ralph Sheppard: PL (1) at each of the following sites – Drumboarty, Drumboarty Bridge, Leagan Hill, Lough Eske Estate, Oughtadoony. Co Donegal

• Margaret Thuillier: PL (2), Kinsale, Cork, W.

• Jim Wilson: no further passage of Painted Ladies

»»»

• Frank & Joan Smyth: Field at Rossnowlagh(300), south of Donegal, laying eggs all over thistles -" like Christmas trees".   

• Andrew Byrne: Corbally(40), Rinnashark Harbour, Waterford (H6)   

• Ger Heneghan: Shrule(72), Mayo (border with Galway).

• Aisling Nic an tSithigh: It appears the peak was Sunday afternoon, nos have calmed down now.　 
  Seem to be 2 sizes and the smaller ones are less vivid in markings. But its like being in a butterfly garden, the birds aren’t chasing them, when you walk through the grass/meadow at all, they just erupt. 
  Loads of small groups of 4-5 chasing each other, and strangely some of them are flying around at night ie after 11pm , even in the moonlight this morning at 2am.
  I‘m not used to seeing butterflies flying in Ireland at night. They’re not choosy regarding types of flower seem to be landing on everything, but mainly on anything purple or Parseach Bui (Brassica) also favourite of Green Veined Whites. Also have 3 green Veined Whites in garden and a number of Small Heath on the cliff top over Dunquin pier in the grasses. 

• Martine Greenlee: 2 km south-west of Cork Airport, 40 butterflies in 5 minutes (c.450 per hour) flying through　garden in a East-North East direction today at approx 2.30pm. 
  Two days ago (31st May) I had　noticed a steady stream of mixed painted ladies and whites of some　sort travelling in an almost due North direction.  

• Jim Wilson: Cobh, Cork.　 All are moving fairly low.　 Scanned directly above for a while and could only see one or two passing at heights above 20 metres. .
  15.35 - 15.50h　 647 moving north;　　17.00 - 17.15h 113 moving north;　　18.55 - 19.10h 7 moving north.
  The corridor being scanned is about 100 m wide and my house is about 500 m from the sea. Not sure if you can extrapolate but going on my first count that would be 25,000 per km of coastline assume landfall is uniform. Not one Painted lady was seen flying in a southerly direction on any of the three counts. 

• Sean Breen: Dundrum (223 in 15 minutes), Tipperary @ 5 pm. i.e. 892 per hour funnelling through a gap of 10 metres travelling NNE. [Reinforcements arriving?]. per C Wilson.  

• Robert Wheeldon: Nenagh(8), Tipperary N (H10), also Red Admiral(2)  

• Richard McCafferty: Drumnasillagh garden, Glenties - throughout the day; 6 flying around and feeding; 3 at lunchtime; Letterkenny in the late morning, 4 in car parks & 1 on Glenties Road, Donegal.  

• Geoff Hunt:　 Rathkeale(4), R34,　 Limerick.　

• Áine Fenner: Gurteen(1), Ballymahon, Longford: 31st May - 2nd June.  

• Geoff Hunt: PL (4), Rathkeale, Limerick; 
  PL(3), Grange, Limerick  

• Neil Warnock: Ashton's Callow(96), Tipperary N (H10)  

• Tom Tarpey: Monaleen, Limerick: 60/hour eastwards/northeastwards in late afternoon again in calm conditions  

• Paul Walsh: Brownstown Waterford(10) & Red Admiral(2) -: PL numbers even further reduced from 31/5, and no directed movement at all.  
  

• Elaine O'Riordan: They seemed to be all over! Thinking about it now, the largest numbers were from the Galway side of Claregalway to Tuam. They were flying around the fields and hedges and across the road in front of me (in a west – east direction mostly). I noticed that some of them were stopping on the road surface at times but it’s a busy road. I suspect mortality was high. I know that several of them hit my windscreen fairly hard. I was actually at a little village called Sylaun, near Belclare, and when I was walking around, there were lots of them fluttering around the fields and hedges too. Numbers are difficult to estimate. They seemed to be going about in twos and threes and I was on the move. But over the whole trip I must have seen at least a couple of hundred.
  I also saw several in Crosshaven, Co Cork on Friday/Saturday last. They seemed to be coming in from the sea.

• Deirdre Hardiman: 300 per hour passing by nr Corranelistrum, north of Moycullen, Galway at 12.00h and still coming at a reduced rate more than 2 hours later.　 Moving in north-westerly direction along a corridor close to the shore of Lough Corrib, while earlier arrivals continue to nectar, etc.

• Fiona Poole: Burrishoole Abbey(57), Newport, Mayo - 15 minute count.

• Russell Poole: Lettermaghera(3), Newport, Mayo [West to East]

• Geoff Hunt: PL (4), Kilmallock, Limerick 
  PL (4), Ardpatrick, Limerick
  PL (12), Seefin Mountain, Limerick

• John A Power: PL(20), Mount Stewart, Dungarvan, Waterford, 01/01

• Aynia Brennan: Magheramore(2), Wicklow

• Anthony Pickering: Spiddal to Galway & Castlebar (vis Headford and Ballinrobe), flying across the road all the way. 5 in home garden.

• Brian Hodkinson: Ashfort (Van Veens Nursery)(5), Limerick (H08);
  Reboge canal area (10), Red Admiral(1) [ same walk as previous 2 days but saw only 6 Painted Ladies.]

• Jesmond Harding: Painted Lady(2), Lulybeg, Kildare, 1/6

• Tommy Carey: Hundreds if not thousands of painted ladies flying headlong north to south on NE shore of Lough Corrib.

• Ger Heneghan: Shrule(645), West Mayo [100's flying north-west to south-east, over 2 days]

• Tom Cuffe: Crestwood(5), Galway

• James Moran: Mayo, Grid Ref., M26, large number of painted lady butterflies in practically every field on the farm. ...at least 50-100 in the area. There were feeding on creeping buttercup.　

• Richard McCafferty: Drumnasillagh my garden, Glenties. Morning and after lunchtime c. 20;
  Glenmacannive, Glenties at lunchtime, 4 actively feeding etc.

• Geoff Hunt: Killmallock(4), R62;　 Ardpatrick(8) R62; Seefin Mountain, Ballyhoura, Limerick, 20 crossed at 528 m.

• Tom Tarpey:  Barna,Galway: 300/hour eastwards in the late afternoon in flat calm conditions.

• Paul Walsh: Fiddown to Mooncoin(15), Kilkenny - mostly settled, but 2 N, 3 S or SW.

• Ken Bond:  numerous specimens in E. Clare and E. Galway, including c.30 around top of Knockmaa, SW of Tuam, NE Galway

• Kathryn Freeman: Killarney National Pk(29), Kerry
  [All moving one after another southwards across West Meadow, Muckross, Killarney National Park - possibly came from L Leane to north, as similar behaviour noticed earlier that day, with 5 Painted Ladies moving southwards from direction of L Leane at nearby Castlelough V975 875. Several other sightings of 1 to 5 Painted Ladies throughout KNP from 31/5 to 2/6/09.]

29th May

• Liam Lysaght: nr Waterford(10); 11 by Tony Bryan from Tramore area, Waterford

• David Nash: Donnybrook(3), Dublin.

• Niall Keogh: Sixmile Point(14); Kilcoole(1), Five mile Point Lane(2), Vartry Reservoir(1), Wicklow

• Mary Duggan & Paul Walsh:　 Main road Youghal-Dungarvan-Waterford(11)[Flying W/NW 8.55-9.20 pm];
  6 flying W/NW Cork-Youghal (7.55-8.30); Crosshaven(2); Cork Airport Business Park(1)　

• Don Cotton: Coast of Sligo(5) [with J. Dunleavy]; Newport(1), Mayo [Sue Callaghan]; Oranmore(1), Galway [Michael Casey]

• Eamonn O'Donnell: Cape Clear Isand(3), W Cork; Barnland(4), 

• Angus Tyner: nr rAshford, Wicklow -　 one every 2 minutes at 17.10 h.

• Trevor Boyd:　 Ballymacormick(6), nr Bangor, Down [nectaring on Thrift]

• Christian and Faith Wilson: Carrigmore(3), Kilnamanagh Beg(c.30) [in buttercup meadow];　 5 en route to Wicklow Head & c.20 on Head.

• Tony Murray: Jamestown,　 Oylegate(4), Wexford

• Freddie Walsh: Monamintra(3), Waterford

• Stefanie Fleischer: Waterford(4), S60

• Roberta Reeners: Cronroe(5), Ashford, Wicklow

• Josephine O'Donnell: Beltony(7), Crolly, Donegal; and also at Mageraroarty Dunes(2) [on 1st.]

• Maja Gawlikowska & Tomasz Babiarz: Ramstown(2), Gorey, Wexford; Arklow rd.(2), Gorey, Wexford;Coach Rd.(2), Gorey, Wexford (H12); The Galops(1), Gorey, Wexford; Ballytegan(3), Wexford

• Ger O'Donnell:　 Moyard, Connemara, Galway - a number flying past.

• Colin Barton: Bottlehill Landfill Site(3), Cork

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A short summary of what is going on from Tom Brereton (BC UK):

• Phenomenal breeding season in the Atlas Mountains due to winter rain – eg estimated 150,000 pupae in a single field.

• Mass dispersal north across Mediterranean from February.

• UK: Small numbers of faded individuals reached UK April-mid May, widely scattered in one's and two's.

• Breeding of African winter brood in Southern Europe Feb onwards.

• Mainland Europe– waves/pulses of northerly migration across the whole of Europe from February onwards – Spain, France, Italy, Mediterranean Islands etc, in the preceding days and weeks, with arrivals in Northern France, Germany and the Netherlands the middle of last week.

• Stable isotope work confirms that they those sampled are from the Atlas Mountains.

• UK: 21st May first substantial arrival detected in the UK, at Portland Bill (~100).

• The big NW movement occurred 24/25 May when at a guess 10-50 million arrived, mainly fresh individuals (those that have bred in southern Europe) plus first generation faded African insects. Big counts all over southern Britain (~50,000 counted), especially East Anglia.

• Small numbers in Northern England but no large arrivals yet….should be any day

• Some starting to settle to breed – eg in Cornwall., SW England

• Also involved in the migration Large Whites, Red Admirals, Clouded Yellows and Silver Y's

• Classic weather conditions for a large arrival over the Bank Holiday　 – low pressure over Northern France feeding warmer air to Southern/Eastern England. Warm, sunny with easterly winds over Eastern Britain allowing butterflies to migrate strongly NW with a favourable tail wind.

• More are expected – Thursday and Friday this week looks good for another immigration!

• Then we will have the offspring of this brood in July and August, so there should be huge numbers around – I wouldn't like to be a thistle in August!

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Some news from Constanti Stefanescu in Spain:

    Yes, I was in Morocco by the end of March and was able to locate a massive emergence area of V. cardui, with an estimated number of 150000 pupae in a meadow of only 1,8 ha. I'm working on a MS with details on this source area, levels of parasitism, etc. I'll certainly send you the MS once ready. This was in the Souss valley, not very far from Agadir (south of the Atlas mountains).

    Immediately after, Painted Ladies started to arrive in Catalonia and the whole of Spain. There has been massive waves of migrants since then, mainly coinciding with depressions crossing the Mediterranean area. I had never seen something similar, and certainly BMS counts will show this with all detail.

    First migrants started to arrive in the first week of April. Since then, egg-laying has been a common phenomenon and now there are big larvae on thistles and mallows everywhere... the numbers are really spectacular! Some very fresh butterflies are becoming to be seen - so, local emergence has started already... and will continue for one month or so. In the Balearic Islands there are reports of huge concentrations of larvae, going for pupation ca. 2 weeks ago. So, there is NOW the first wave of local emergences in all this area (including Spain)... and these are the butterflies you're starting to notice moving to the north.

    I expect huge numbers of migrants for the next 4 weeks or more - probably, all this is related to the abnormal rainy winter in north Africa, which attained levels unrecorded in the last 30 years