But this red admiral landed on my fence today for quick sunbathe.
Close inspection shows that the tip of its left antenna is missing. Will this affect it? Do they overwinter, or do they die? These are things I need to know. Anyone?
As an aside, when the new Rainforest Zone opened in London Zoo, they had tropical butterflies included. Unfortunately the tamarin monkeys found them too tempting, and soon they were all gone.
TV info for UK Vixens.
On Tuesday on ITV1 at 8pm there is the start of a new series about ZSL London Zoo and its sister wildlife park at Whipsnade.
And tonight at 7pm on True Movies 2 they are showing The Taking of Pelham 123 - the proper version!
5 comments:
Thanks for the headsup!
Sadly, I can't help with the butterfly question....
Concerning the butterflies, I can't help you. I'm not a big fan of those insects. In my garden, there are a lot of ladybugs. It's not very cold, it is maybe for that they are still there...
UK Vixens are very lucky, I'm jealous!
From what I could find, this butterfly is one of the last to be seen in your region before winter sets in. They feed on overripe fruit and mainly reproduce in the Nederlands. They do not survive in cold temperature and here in the US, they overwinter mainly in Texas. I couldn't find anything about the missing antenna, but there were a lot of references by others who have seen this butterfly with the same affliction. My best guess would be that since they like "sticky" sap from trees or rotten fruit that it may have gotten pulled off while feeding.
That is a pretty butterfly!! Pretty odd to see one like that in your neck of the woods.
I'm looking forward to the Zoo show..closest I'm going to get for a while :-)
We haven't seen many painted lady butterflies round here, just cabbage whites with the odd yellow one for variety. We do seem to be breeding ladybirds in the hall though,every so often you'll find a group of them clustered round the light fitting..no idea why
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