A large mass of Painted Lady butterflies has made its way to Donegal this week, much to the delight of nature lovers.
The bright butterfly, marked by orange and black-tipped wings, has been spotted in huge numbers in coastal areas of the county and on Tory Island.
An influx of Painted Ladies has been spotted in the UK and Ireland this year in line with a once-in-a-decade phenomenon. Experts believe that the butterflies undertake a massive migration from Africa every ten years, passing over Europe during the summer on their way to the Arctic Circle.
Painted Lady Butterflies.
The Butterfly Conservation Ireland group has said that a “massive front” of Painted Ladies came to Donegal and Scotland this week.
“The influx into Donegal is unusual in that it is not being reported arriving in numbers along the south coast,” wrote butterfly expert Jesmond Harding. The reasons why they have come to the area are unknown.
The mass migration is said to be a great spectacle and anyone wishing to see the butterflies should keep a lookout over the next two weeks.
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