Distribution: Extreme south of Europe and North Africa. Northward
migarations start very early in the year and extend across all of Europe.
Multiple brooded, northerly regions benefit from population expansion by locally
bred offspring of the first migrants. Numbers are strongly seasonally variable
in northern areas which, presumably, depend on a range of conditions on the
migration route throughout the season.
Identification: Distinctive. The pale pinks and oranges and unique
patterning should be difficult to confuse with other species. Males and females
are very similar. There is one closely related species, the American Painted
Lady, C. virginiensis. This is rare in Europe, occurring just a few times
a year in SW England, west coast of France and is probably resident in a few
small places in Portugal. Also found on some of the Canary Islands where it also
appears to be scarce. The species are distinguished readily by the row of spots
on darker greyer underside underside hindwing - there are just two, much larger
spots in C. virginiensis. On the upperside the dominant orange patch is
in the discal area of C. virginiensis, for C. cardui, the dominant
area is around the submarginal spots. I have no photos of C. virginiensis,
although I have seen individuals in New Jersey, USA where its smaller size was
also noticeable.
Flight time: January or February in North Africa and S Europe moving
northwards as the season progresses. Often reaches the UK in June although in
recent years this have been becoming earlier, in February in 2004.
Habitat: Diverse due to its migratory tendencies. It often accumulates
on thistle rich meadows or in gardens, particularly with Buddleia, where
it avidly takes nectar to fuel its active life style. Often seen flying over
mountain passes, sometimes at the highest altitudes (e.g. 2500m). Can also be
seen in numbers in coastal areas where arriving migrant butterflies rest to
replenish energy reserves before dispersing inland. Larvae feed on a very broad
range of plants, but mostly Thistles (Carduus) but also Mallows (Malva),
Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica) and Burdocks (Arctium)
Behaviour: Great numbers can be seen flying in a single determined
direction. This can number 20 or 30 a minute at times (Morocco and Cyprus)
although more typically it becomes noticeable around 2 or 3 per minute. These
butterflies are not seemingly seduced by flowers along the route. This,
presumably, migrant behaviour.
Var, France,
May 2006
Landfall on
the Mediterranean coast of S France - a good place for tired hungry
butterflies to take on nectar before their onward dispersal inland.
