Painted Lady butterflies

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MaxBottomtime

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Location
Torrance, CA
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Painted Lady butterflies, Vanessa cardui were at record low numbers last year. The long Winter of rain this year has produced a huge number. The small relatives of Monarch butterflies are migrating from the deserts of Mexico to Oregon to mate. Yesterday the swarm was spotted all over Southern California. With dive conditions as bad as they are, I took some time for a little topside photography today.
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Painted Lady DSC_6846.jpg
 
As a former entomology enthusiast (all three of my uncle's were entomologists at one point), it anazes me that these tiny creatures can survive such long migrations. Saw a few while driving to my chemo session this morning.
 
My little town is noted for many things,
It was the unattainable destination of Buggs bunny
It is in a micro climate great sunny weather
and
It has a huge very popular butterfly grove that attracts people from all over the world

I look out my second story window to our yard there are butterflies flipping around
lovely sight !
SDM
 
The differences between the monarch and painted lady are quite obvious (at least to my partly antomologically trained eye). It has been cool to see them flying in numbers out here this month
 
These were swarming through the north inland part of San Diego all day today. South to North, looked like several large bee swarms, then a pause, then more.

Glorious!
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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