Painted Lady butterflies spotted on the isle

AS TOURISTS flocked from around the country to take advantage of Thanet’s beaches last week, the isle was under siege from a group of visitors who had travelled hundreds of miles.

Thousands of painted lady butterflies were spotted in Thanet’s gardens and fields, as they moved from North Africa up through Europe.

Peter Riley, secretary of the Kent branch of Butterfly Conservation, said: “This happens to a lesser degree every year but very rarely do we see them in this many numbers. I don't think I saw a single one last year

“But this year they had a bumper year in Morocco, where they come from; it was a warm and wet and a good year for the thistles they breed on.

“We saw many of them move through Kent and they will now spread out and breed, leaving caterpillars on thistles before then we’ll see another huge deluge of them in the autumn when they go back to Africa.”

Have you seen the butterflies? Send us your photos to richard.spillett@krnmedia.co.uk