Painted Lady Migration

[Chris J. Durden]

I agree with Paul on this one. I have not seen any evidence of mass flights 
of *V. cardui* in Central Texas this year. Some years we have none. Now *V, 
atalanta* is abundant and I have seen some driven, northward flight in open 
areas away from trees. *V. virginiensis* is common. *V. annabella* has not 
shown up here in the last 33 years but I expect to find a wanderer one of 
these days because it is common in the Sierra Madre Oriental just south of 
Monterrey.
..............Chris Durden

At 10:40 AM 5/2/2001 -0700, you wrote:
> >
>"Originating in Mexico" is the long established dogma. But to date
>no one from Texas, New Mexico or SE Arizona has reported large numbers
>of Painted Ladies.The large numbers don't show up until one gets into western
>Arizona and the low altitude southern Calif. deserts.  So it could be that
>much of the migration originates in these two areas rather than
>strictly Mexico. Also, back in March, before the migration began,
>Bruce Walsh reported seeing a major Painted :Lady "bloom"
>in the Yuma, AZ  area (SW Arizona). So these hot, lower desert areas seem 
>to be
>where alot of winter breeding takes place prior to mass dispersal
>in April.
>
>Paul Cherubini
>
>
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