Could they be California Sisters? I heard they were on the move.

Hmmm, I don't know? I've never seen one in this area.

I've heard that the Painted Ladies have begun their flight. There are also some West Coast Ladies around now, too, so that may be the 'other' Lady that you may be seeing. :)

Someone had mentioned seeing some 'greenish' Painted Lady larvae. I told the person that this was a West Coast Lady not a Painted Lady. They do look an awful lot alike.

Edna,

The migration you're seeing is Vanessa cardui. Varies from year to year and can be barely enough individuals to even notice the migration some years to years when they literally cover the ground like a sheet for mile after mile after mile for several days or more at your location. Too bad the ex has all my pictures... I took lots of them from a couple of those heavy migration years where everything in the picture is coated with cardui (ground, bushes, trees, houses, cars, people, etc) and the roads after a couple of days of highway mortalities. Even tip toeing around to take the pictures I crushed hundreds of them that didn't flush quick enough.

No doubt there could be some V. annabella tagging along, byt the main flight is V. cardui.

Thank you Sherry and Larry. It is Vanessa cardui I have been seeing.

A few year ago there was a migration where I seen thousands of them near the Alameda County estuaries. If I recall correctly, it was later in the season. I'm surprised to see them so early.

Edna

Edna,

I think it depends entirely on the year, and this has certainly been a wacky one weather wise. I've seen them starting north as early as Janruary here in southern NV (which is way early), and passing through as late as June in northern UT (500 miles north).

The biggest V. cardui migration I ever saw in northern UT lasted about three weeks, but was the heaviest from May 1-6, 1991. They simply blanketed the earth and when they flew it was like a blizzard. It was so big that we decided to make a family day outing of it on Sunday, packed a picnic and drove west into NV looking for the edge of it. We turned around at Battle Mountain (almost 300 miles from home) and had never found the edge.

That year it was "breaking news" on local TV and in the newspapers along the Wasatch Front, with the biggest story being the travel advisory warnings they caused.

L.

Wacky weather to say the least. I can only imagine the migration of Danaus plexippus you witnessed. Must have been an awesome sight.

Today I seen a Danaus plexippus. I never see them until late August.

I counted over a hundred Vanessa cardui today.

Too bad I have no nectar sources in bloom yet. The various host plants are just leafing now.

I have two Battus philenor I've over wintered in the garage. I set them out in a protected area hoping they will emerge soon.

I have a feeling this season will be a spectacular year for butterflies.

Ed-

Migration was V. cardui. Think you got so excited about seeing a D. plexippus today that they are on your mind. hehe

OOPS! :-) Duh! Yes, I was excited.

Edna,

Well, even though I lived in Carmel, my office in Pacific Grove was only about two blocks from the Monarch butterfly trees on the Monetrey Peninsula. I often took breaks just to go sit and watch the Monarchs. So technicaly I saw their migration and winter swarms every year when I lived there.

BTW, have you ever gone down to the Feast of Laterns in Pacific Grove? It's their version of the Chinese Legend of the Blue Willow where the lovers turn into immortal Monarch's instead of doves. So the entire area celebrates the Monarchs all week long. It's quite a week in mid summer with lots of festivities, a parade, ending the last day/night with a pagent, reenactment of the legend on the beach at Lover's Point and fireworks. When I lived there I was a parade marshall for all the parades in the area (including the Butterfly Parade that week), and as a member of Kiwanas I helped put on the fireworks show for it. But then way back then the Peninsula was "small town", so you got involved in everything (including the politics).

I just noticed your zone, Larry. LOVE IT!

I don't beleive I've ever ventured to Pacific Grove. Will put it on my "to do" list for this year.

I am amazed at all the activities you've been involved with. Where did you find the time?

Edna,

I almost put it on there months ago and decided against it. But with so many people not putting any clue to where they are, I said what the heck... if they want to know where I am they can learn a Native American language.

Luckily the main day for FOL is the last Saturday, so you can do it, including all the evening fetivities on the beach at Lover's Point and have all day Sunday to get back home. Hotels are pretty steep on the Peninsula in summer though, so you may want to stay outside of the area 25+ miles and drive in (maybe Salinas, Castroville or Watsonville). Friends owned many of the hotels/motels when I lived there, but I've lost track of them after so many years.

Pretty easy actually. I just included my ex the first ten years we were married, then my son after he was born to make all of it family activities. I'm one of those "I'll get all the sleep I need after I'm dead" people too. Besides, at one time I was young, strong and healthy. LOL