This little butterfly gives real pause for thought. First of all it has such beautiful patterns and details on the underside of it's wings. It is well known in the UK for its bold patterns of black and red on the tops of it's wings but the underside, not normally looked at, is so complex and intricate, this photo does not do it justice. Looking at a side of things we do not normally see can be well worth while.
The second even more remarkable thing is that this tiny fragile creature flies thousands of miles to migrate to North Africa from the UK and other European countries every year. This is achieved by generations of butterflies each continuing the journey but every butterfly individually flies hundreds of miles. Research was done in which scientists managed to shave a tiny bit of fur off the Painted Lady butterfly's back to attach it to an instrument which enabled them to measure how it uses the position of the sun and its inner compass to know the direction in which to fly. When we think of its fragile wings and the weather conditions including storms it flies through for hundreds of miles, it feels like a miracle it can achieve this magnificent feat.
I sail and once had a battered looking red admiral land land on my boat at sea. My partner and I were thrilled at the privilege we felt at having our boat used as a much needed rest stop by a butterfly. With my knew awareness of just how far this beautiful butterfly had flown, and why it's little wings were so faded and battered, I now know just how much it had achieved. Thinking of this now brings tears to my eyes.
The programme I watched was about the Painted Lady butterfly which has a similar miraculous journey. They said on the programme that we should all leave a few thistles and nettles in our garden in the UK and European countries as food plants as well as grow lots of flowers with pollen to feed the tired butterflies when they arrive. I can feel justified in not being very good at weeding in my rather untidy wildlife garden now!!
Kim
