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Painted Ladies

When we went out for our early morning walk yesterday, I became aware of butterflies, flying up out of the wet grasses on either side of the path.  They were invisible until they took flight.  Everything was so soggy and drooping following heavy rain overnight.  I must have seen about two dozen painted lady butterflies on that walk.

Later in the day I took the dogs for a mooch along the path which runs along by the sea, between the little harbours of Port Seton and Cockenzie.  More butterflies, masses of them, fluttering around the buddleia bushes and alighting on anything and everything!  I was intrigued, and when I got home I went online to see if there was anything published recently to explain these large numbers of butterflies.  I found this article.  http://www.surfbirds.com/community-blogs/blog/2019/07/28/spot-a-once-in-a-decade-butterfly-phenomenon/
In the early evening sunshine at home, there were a few more painted ladies on the lavender spires, along with lots of buzzing bees and hoverflies.  A happy gathering of pollinators!  Perfect.

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